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Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán

2001, Number 2

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Rev Biomed 2001; 12 (2)

Isolation Clostridium tetani in Puntarenas City, Costa Rica and the swarming phenomenon.

Hernández-Chavarría F, Cháves F, Umaña M

Language: Spanish
References: 20
Page: 80-84
PDF size: 32.61 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Objective. To determine the occurrence of Clostridium tetani in soil samples collected from the city of Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and to evaluate strain toxigenicity using a capture ELISA technique. Material and methods. Thirty soil samples were collected and dried at 35°C for at least two weeks. Suspensions were obtained from each sample by placing 1g in 5 mL of sterile saline solution. Two aliquots of 1.5 mL were taken from each sample, one of which was heated (60°C/10 min). Both were inoculated in chopped meat medium (CMM) and incubated at 35°C for 7 days. At days 2 and 7 aliquots of 0.1 mL from each CMM culture were streaked on the periphery of blood agar plates making a line of 2-3 cm and incubated anaerobically (GasPak) for 24 h to allow swarming displacement. Then a sample of the swarming film, if present, was collected and inoculated on hard blood agar plates (4% agar) to isolate discrete colonies. Isolated strains resembling C. tetani were analyzed by their biochemical profile and ELISA in order to detect tetanospasmin. Results. Ten (33%) samples out of 30 were identified as toxigenic C. tetani. Other isolated species of clostridia which exhibited a similar swarming film were C. putrificum and C. glicolicum. C. sporogenes, C. fallax, C.haemolyticum, and C. beijerinkii were also isolated. Discussion. These results confirm the high frequency of toxigenic C. tetani from Costa Rican soil samples, as was described in a previous study of soil samples from the University of Costa Rica, in which 43% of strains isolated were identified as C. tetani, and 30% of those were toxigenic, a similar proportion to that reported in the present paper. From the standpoint of public health policy, the high prevalence of this agent in soil is a reminder of the importance of strict adherence to vaccination schedules and the application of tetanus toxoid to any patient with a traumatic lesion, to prevent cases of clinical tetanus.


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