World Journal of Dairy & Food Sciences 10 (2): 141-146, 2015 ISSN 1817-308X © IDOSI Publications, 2015 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjdfs.2015.10.2.96263 Corresponding Author: Maha Al-Ashmawy, Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt. E-mail: mahaalashmawy@yahoo.com. 141 Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Clostridium perfringens in Milk and Dairy Products Rowayda Osama, Marwa Khalifa, Marwa Al-Toukhy and Maha Al-Ashmawy 1 2 1 1 Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 1 Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 2 Aswan University, 81528 Sahary City, Egypt Abstract: In this study one hundred and fifty samples of [market milk, Damietta cheese, Milk powder, Ras cheese, kariesh cheese (25 of each) 10 condensed milk and 15 sterilized milk packs] were collected randomly from different localities of El-Dakahlia province, Egypt, for isolation and identification of Clostridium perfringens. Clostridium perfringens was isolated by the conventional method and identified by biochemical and molecular techniques. The prevalence of Clostridium perfringens was 20, 60, 20, 60 and 36% in raw milk, Damietta cheese, milk powder, Ras cheese and Kariesh cheese respectively. Clostridium perfringens was not found in sterilized and condensed milk. The isolates of Clostridium perfringens were screened for presence of toxins genes alpha (CPA), beta (CPB), epsilon (CPE) and iota(CPI) to detect the type of these isolates.Clostridium perfringens strains isolated in this study were confirmed to be type A. All (100%) Clostridium perfringens isolates were resistant to Colistin (CT) and Ampicillin(AM) followed by Lincomysin (MY) 91.8%, Erythromycin (E) 75.5%, Ampicillin-Sulbactum (SAM) 73.4%, Neomycin(N) 71.7%, Amoxicillin (AML) 69.38%, Streptomycin (S) 67.34%, Spiramycin (SP) 63.26%, Clindamycin (DA) and Tetracyclin (TE) 53.06%, Cephradine(CE) 42.8%, Pefloxacin (PEF) 40.8%, Gentamycin (CN) 36.73%, Norfloxacin( NOR) 30.6% and Vancomycin (VA) 18.36%. Key words: Clostridium perfringens Milk Dairy products Antimicrobial susceptibility INTRODUCTION toxigenic, neurotoxigenic or spoilage bacteria. This makes Milk is the most perfect food for human from birth to tank milk important from both a public health and senility as it contains all the nutrients needed by the body economic aspect [3]. for rapid growth and healthy development. There is a Cells from the genus Clostridium are defined as Gram- substantial epidemiological evidence that consumption of positive, endospore-forming rods and most species are raw milk during childhood may protect against asthma, obligate anaerobes with varying tolerance to oxygen [4]. allergies and other immune-mediated diseases [1]. The presence of clostridia in milk has been a matter of Milk is subjected to contamination from different public health concern since the early days of dairy sources; such contaminants find their way to milk and its industry because of its ability to produce a wide diversity products through faulty methods of production and of biologically active proteins, many of which have roles handling. On the other hand soil, air, water, bedding, in provoking human and animal diseases and cause food feeds and excreta of human and animal act as important deterioration [3]. The most important one is Clostridium sources of contamination [2]. perfringens which produces an enterotoxin that causes Many problems are caused by the different species food poisoning outbreaks [3]. Clostridium perfringens is of anaerobic spore formers (Clostridium and related one of the most important causes of foodborne illness. genera) that can be found in milk. These bacteria are It is estimated that it causes nearly a million cases of food found throughout the dairy farm environment and can be borne illness each year. Patients infected with the presence of Clostridium and related spores in bulk