Clostridium botulinum type E in fish from the Great Lakes

Abstract

Bott, Thomas L. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Janet S. Deffner, Elizabeth McCoy, and E. M. Foster. Clostridium botulinum type E in fish from the Great Lakes. J. Bacteriol. 91:919-924. 1966.-The intestinal contents of more than 3,000 fish from Lakes Erie, Superior, Huron, and Michigan were examined for Clostridium botulinum type E. Demonstration of the organism was accomplished by identifying its toxin in liquid cultures inoculated with material from the alimentary tract. Incidence figures, expressed as per cent of the fish tested, were: Lake Erie, 1%; Lake Superior, 1%; Lake Huron, 4%; the main body of Lake Michigan, 9%; and Green Bay (on Lake Michigan), 57%. Thus, C. botulinum type E appears to be widely but unevenly distributed in the Great Lakes, and fish from all areas are potential carriers of it.