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Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis isolated in a gastroenteritis outbreak investigation
Author(s) -
Jackson S.G.,
Goodbrand R.B.,
Ahmed R.,
Kasatiya S.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/j.1472-765x.1995.tb01017.x
Subject(s) - bacillus cereus , cereus , bacillus thuringiensis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , enterotoxin , outbreak , virology , phage typing , typing , bacteria , escherichia coli , genetics , gene
During investigation of a gastroenteritis outbreak in a chronic care institution, Norwalk virus was found in stool specimens from two individuals and bacterial isolates presumptively identified as Bacillus cereus were isolated from four individuals (including one with Norwalk virus) and spice. Phage typing confirmed all Bacillus clinical isolates were phage type 2. All clinical isolates were subsequently identified as B. thuringiensis when tested as a result of a related study (L. Leroux, personal communication). Eight of 10 spice isolates were phage type 4. All B. cereus and B. thuringiensis isolates showed cytotoxic effects characteristic of enterotoxin‐producing B. cereus . An additional 20 isolates each of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis from other sources were tested for cytotoxicity. With the exception of one B. cereus , all showed characteristic cytotoxic patterns.