BACKGROUND: Clostridium perfringens is an important animal pathogen that causes severe loses to the livestock and poultry industries. Therefore, bacterial detection is believed to be of particular importance. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to identify Iranian isolates using conventional and molecular methods and to evaluate their toxicity. METHODS: In this work, 23 Clostridium perfringens type B isolates were examined via microbiological and biochemical tests. Subsequently, they were subjected to PCR technique for the final confirmation. After culturing of the isolates in specific medium, the minimum lethal dose test was performed. The most toxigenic isolate and reference strain was prepared the enterotoxaemia anaculture vaccine. Serum neutralization test was performed on the experimental inactive vaccines. RESULTS: The results revealed that etx and cpb gene could be found in all of the isolates, yet cpb2 gene was found in 65.2 % of the isolates. The minimum lethal dose ranges for these bacteria was less than 1/10 to more than 1/900. The results of serum neutralization in Iranian isolate and reference strains were 5 and 10 IU / ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings herein implied that strain 1795 with high toxicity could be used in vaccine production. Of course, for use in production, further research on target animals is needed.

Spore-forming bacteria are a group of bacteria can form spore and they grow aerobically and anaerobically as Bacilli and Clostridia spp. This group of bacteria has public health hazards and economic loss significance. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of spore-forming bacteria isolated from marketable milk and some dairy products as pasteurized milk, UHT milk, milk powder, and baby food (30 samples of each). The samples were purchased randomly from different dairy shops, supermarkets, and pharmacies in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Bacillus cereus was detected in 23.33, 13.33, 6.66, 13.33, and 10% from marketable milk, pasteurized milk, UHT milk, milk powder, and baby food, respectively. While, Clostridium perfringens was recovered in 20, 6.66, 0, 3.33 and 0%, respectively. This study concluded that there is a need for hygienic measures must be applied in the milk and dairy products production and manufacture to minimize the possibility of entering the spore-forming bacteria in these products.