PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE ISOLATION OF Clostridium botulinum FROM SOILS AND SEDIMENTS IN ALGERIA

In this study, we look for an environmental sporulated bacterium that causes the death after ingestion or inhalation of its toxin. This bacterium, called Clostridium botulinum, is wanted to prepare serums of diagnostic and treatment, and vaccines, in order to fend off the rare but acute outbreaks. Also, the information of area-specific distribution of Clostridium botulinum may give an efficient program in protecting cattle and man.

Two hundred thirty-one samples were collected over the Algerian territory. The identification of Clostridium botulinum was based on the study of cultural, biochemical and toxigenic characteristics. The search of Clostridium botulinum from soils is very difficult and the time of growth is very long comparatively with those of the others bacteria of soil, particularly the Bacillus spp., which invade the isolation medium and hide the bacteria wanted. Therefore, we proposed the Columbia medium with fresh blood supplemented with kanamycin to isolate Clostridium botulinum. Four samples were positives; it concerns the sludge of Medea (north of Algeria), the land of Boumerdes (north of Algeria), the land of Tizi-Ouzou (north of Algeria) and the land of Tebessa (east of Algeria).