Distribution of heat-resistant Clostridium welchii in a rural area of Australia

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The incidence of heat-resistant Cl. welchii in selected classes of a rural population has been investigated. The carrier rate for the general population was low (l·5–6·0%), but persons associated with communal feeding and poor hygienic conditions were shown to have a much higher carrier rate (15·1–25%).Sex and season had little effect on the incidence of the organism, but among aboriginals the carriage was significantly affected by age. This was probably due to eating habits of the different age groups. The carriage appears to be transient; no persons were shown to be permanent carriers of one strain of heat-resistant Cl. welchii.