PERFRINGENS AGAR BASE (O.P.S.P)

Perfringens Agar (O.P.S.P.) is based on the formula developed by Handford and is used as a selective medium for isolation and enumeration of C. perfringens in foods. Clostridial species are one of the major causes of food poisoning/ gastrointestinal illnesses. They are gram-positive sporeforming rods that occur naturally in the soil. Foods commonly contaminated with Clostridium perfringens include meat, meat pies, poultry, stews and gravy.
Among the family are: Clostridium botulinum which produces one of the most potent toxins in existence; Clostridium tetani, causative agent of tetanus; and C. perfringens commonly found in wound infections and diarrhoea cases. The use of toxins to damage the host is a method deployed by many bacterial pathogens. The major virulence factor of C. perfringens is the CPE enterotoxin

for selective isolation and enumeration of Clostridium perfringens from foods