Identification of novel enterotoxin of Clostridium perfringens produced by human clinical isolates from outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis and application of diagnosis

产气荚膜梭菌是一种食源性胃肠炎的病原体，肠道产生的产气荚膜梭菌肠毒素(CPE)被认为是致炎的重要因素。我们经历了两次食源性胃肠炎的暴发，其中产气荚膜梭菌的非CPE生产者被强烈怀疑是原因，并分析了临床分离株。在本研究中，我们鉴定了一种新的肠毒素，命名为BEC(二元肠毒素)。此外，我们还建立了BecAB基因的检测方法，并将其应用于食源性胃肠炎的常规检测。

Clostridium perfringens is a causative agent of food-borne gastroenteritis which for C. perfringens Enterotoxin (CPE) produced in intestinal tract has been considered an essential factor. We experienced two outbreaks of food-borne gastroenteritis in which non-CPE producers of C. perfringens were strongly suspected to be the cause and analyzed the clinical isolates. In this study, we identified a novel enterotoxin and named BEC (binary enterotoxin of C. perfringens). In addition, we developed detection method for becAB gene and applied to routine test of food-borne gastroenteritis.