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Clostridium perfringens, an anaerobic enteric pathogen, is one of the most common causes of human foodborne illness. In the EU, C. perfringens is responsible for 5 million infections per year. Furthermore, 95% of acute gastrointestinal infections are associated with the consumption of contaminated meat, including poultry products. Symptoms of such infections include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, and sometimes vomiting. Disease pathogenesis stems from the infecting C. perfringens strain’s ability to produce more than 20 pathogenic enzymes and toxins. Strains are categorised into seven toxin types from A to G, according to toxin carriage and strain, types A, C and G are frequently linked to human infections. The prevalence of C. perfringens is affected by several factors including inappropriate food storage, cross-contamination, and even climate change. Climate change impacts incidences and severity of foodborne illnesses because rising global temperatures and altered precipitation patterns create favourable environments for the growth and survival of pathogens like C. perfringens in food and water supplies [2]. Common antibiotics are still the primary method of treating infection in poultry, including virginiamycin, bacitracin, and lincomycin, to tackle the pathogen before it makes its way down the food chain to human consumption. These antibiotics are broad-spectrum, disrupt the birds’ normal microbiota leading to additional complications, and contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria [1]. This is why scientists have turned to studying bacteriophages (phages), which are viruses that kill bacteria, providing a feasible alternative to antibiotics. These phages are bacterial species-specific and, when used therapeutically, target the pathogen of interest while leaving the normal flora undisturbed, unlike antibiotics [1].
In a study conducted by Thanki et al., 97 C. perfringens strains were collected from infected poultry around the world and models were developed to study and compare the efficacy of phage virulence. All C. perfringens strains were stored in 1 mL tubes containing 50% glycerol at −80°C. C. perfringens strains were grown on selective medium Perfringens TSC agar base overnight at 37°C inside a Whitley Anaerobic Workstation, on which they produce black colonies. For liquid cultures, single colonies were subcultured in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth overnight at 37°C under anaerobic conditions. It was found that the phage cocktail comprising CPLM2, CPLM15, and CPLS41 was the most effective at reducing C. perfringens colonisation [1]. These findings suggest that phages offer a promising solution for reducing the incidence of foodborne illnesses.
As the scientific community explore alternatives to antibiotic therapy, there could be a rise in studies focusing on phages and their role in mitigating foodborne diseases. This is especially relevant as we face global challenges such as climate change, where extreme weather conditions could increase the risk of food contamination. Furthermore, this highlights the importance of anaerobic chambers, such as the Whitley Anaerobic Workstation, in facilitating research that is expected to become increasingly important in the near future.
References
1. Thanki AM, Osei EK, Whenham N, Salter MG, Bedford MR, Masey O’Neill HV, Clokie MR. Broad host range phages target global Clostridium perfringens bacterial strains and clear infection in five-strain model systems. Microbiology Spectrum. 2024 May 2;12(5):e03784-23.
2. Oh EJ, Kim JM, Kim JK. Interrelationship between climatic factors and incidence of FBD caused by Clostridioides difficile toxin B, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter spp., and Escherichia coli O157: H7. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2021 Aug;28(32):44538-46.
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