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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 2005, p. 2602-2607, Vol. 43, No. 6
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.6.2602-2607.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Characterization of Clostridium botulinum Strains Associated with an Infant Botulism Case in the United Kingdom

Eric A. Johnson,^1* William H. Tepp,¹ Marite Bradshaw,¹ Richard J. Gilbert,² Paul E. Cook,³ and E. David G. McIntosh⁴

Department of Food Microbiology and Toxicology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, 1925 Willow Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1187,¹ Carpenders Close, Harpenden, Herts AL5 3HN United Kingdom,² Foodborne Diseases Branch, Microbiological Safety Division, Food Standards Agency, Aviation House, 125 Kingsway, London WC2B 6NH, United Kingdom,³ Wyeth, Huntercombe Lane South, Taplow, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 0PH, and Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London W2 1NY, United Kingdom⁴

Received 16 July 2004/ Returned for modification 29 August 2004/ Accepted 5 February 2005

The sixth case of infant botulism in the United Kingdom was reported in 2001. The case was caused by a type B strain of Clostridium botulinum. Strains of C. botulinum were isolated from the baby's feces and from foodstuffs in the household in an attempt to document transmission. The aims of this study were to characterize the strains of C. botulinum associated with the botulism case. This was performed using a variety of techniques, including C. botulinum culture phenotypic properties, neurotoxin characterization, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) banding patterns. Cultures associated with this case as well as isolates from stored and historical samples were analyzed and compared. C. botulinum type B PFGE patterns from the infant and from an opened container of infant formula were indistinguishable, while the PFGE profile of a strain presumably isolated from an unopened archival container was unique. The results suggest that the unopened brand of formula was not the source for transmission of spores to the infant and that the strain was distinct from previous botulism cases in the United Kingdom. Since environmental testing was not performed, it is not possible to deduce other sources of transmission.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Food Microbiology and Toxicology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, 1925 Willow Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1187. Phone: (608) 263-7944. Fax: (608) 263-1114. E-mail: eajohnso{at}wisc.edu.

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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 2005, p. 2602-2607, Vol. 43, No. 6
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.6.2602-2607.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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