The Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) O113:H21 strain 98NK2, which was responsible for an outbreak of hemolytic uremic syndrome, secretes a highly potent and lethal subtilase cytotoxin that is unrelated to any bacterial toxin described to date. It is the prototype of a new family of AB 5 toxins, comprising a single 35-kilodalton (kD) A subunit and a pentamer of 13-kD B subunits. The A sub...

Background: Several health problems may be occurred due to consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated foods and feeds. The maize and oilseeds, as the main components of poultry feeds are susceptible to mould contamination and mycotoxin production. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of toxigenic Aspergillus spp. in poultry feeds from Ilaro, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 60 poultry fe...

Our study was aimed to evaluate antifungal, antiaflatoxin, and antioxidant potential of Mentha pulegium, Myrtus communis, piperita essential oils (EOs). The EOs showed efficacy as a couscous preservative. A total 387 fungal species were isolated from Couscous samples, with Aspergillus flavus BN (20) which is identified the highest aflatoxin producer. minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) M. pu...

To the Editor: Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans may cause a zoonotic infection similar to diphtheria caused by C. diphtheriae. Previously, dairy cattle were considered to be the main reservoir for C. ulcerans (1), but recent publications suggest pet dogs and pet cats as carriers (cats often show bilateral nasal discharge) (2). We report a case of severe C. ulcerans diphtheria-like disease in ...

A total of 39 toxigenic and 20 nontoxigenic strains of Clostridium difficile were tested for the presence of either toxin A or toxin B by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All toxigenic strains produced cytotoxin as assayed by using highly sensitive fetal lung fibroblasts and were positive for toxin A as well as toxin B in the PCR assay. All nontoxigenic strains failed to produce toxin and w...

The rapid identification of the potentially toxigenic Corynebacterium species, C. diphtheriae, C. ulcerans and C. pseudotuberculosis is essential for diagnosis and treatment of diphtheria and diphtheria-like diseases. We used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDIT-OF MS) in comparison with classical microbiological and molecular methods on 116 Coryn...

All diseases that result in turbinate atrophy in swine are called atrophic rhinitis (AR);however,not all cases of AR are economicallysignificant.Economic losses are attributed to reduced weight gain and feed efficiencyand the cost of treatment and prevention. There are two recognized forms of AR, which include the progressive form caused by toxigenic Pasteurella multocida and the nonprogressive...

A modification of the Mueller medium for tetanus toxin production is presented, on which an adapted strain produces high yields of toxin (70 to 90 flocculating units per ml) in the absence of animal protein extracts. The range of iron concentration in the medium was established within which the toxigenic activity of the culture can be made to vary, and the mathematical nature of the variation i...