Molecular genotyping, biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens isolated from meat supplied to school cafeterias in South Korea

Clostridium perfringens is one of the leading causes of food poisoning worldwide. The aims of this study were to investigate the presence of C. perfringens in food supplied to school cafeterias, to assess the presence of toxin genes in the isolates, and to investigate the biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates. A total of 30 C. perfringens strains (12.9%) from 232 samples of beef, pork, chicken, and duck meat were isolated. Toxin genes, including cpa, cpe, cpb2, and netB, were detected, while the cpb, etx, iap and tpeL genes were absent. Biofilm formation was analyzed, and all the isolates were able to form biofilm. Antibiotic resistance was observed against penicillin (97%), lincomycin (20%), bacitracin (97%), oxytetracycline (73%), trimethoprim (7%), gentamicin (10%), tetracycline (93%), erythromycin (83%), ampicillin (100%), amikacin (7%), and streptomycin (3%). In conclusion, the results showed that students are exposed to a potentially high risk of food poisoning by C. perfringens; therefore, precaution is required for these types of catering services.