African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 3 (7), pp. 366-369, July 2004
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2004 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Sporadic diarrhoea due to Clostridium perfringens in children aged five years and below

M. O. Efuntoye* and A. I. Adetosoye

Department of Veterinary Microbiology and  Parasitology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Olabisi  Onabanjo University, P.M.B. 2002, Ago-Iwoye,Nigeria. Tel: 810901 ext 456. Cell phone: 0722861176. Email: mosolatoye@yahoo.com.

Accepted 25 July 2004

In a study to identify the clostridial species associated with sporadic diarrhoea in children aged 5 years and below, clostridia species were isolated from 57 (3%) of  1761 diarrhoeic faecal samples studied.  Fifty-one of the clostridial isolates were identified as Clostridium perfringens while the other six isolates were identified as C. bifermentans.  Forthy-seven were C. perfringens type A, 4 were C. perfringens type C. Forty-one of C. perfringens type A and 2 of the C. perfringens type C were enterotoxigenic. From this investigation, it was observed that C. perfringens types A and C were involved in cases of sporadic diarrhoea affecting children aged 5 years and below in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Key words: Sporadic diarrhoea, Clostridium perfringens, children.