A Prevalence Study of Human Toxigenic Types Colostrium botulinum (A, B, E) in Some Sea Water Fishes of Northern (Rutilus frisikutum and Mugil ourstus risso) and Southern (Otulitus rubber and stromateus niger) Regions of lran

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of human toxigenic types of C. botulinurn (A, B, E) in some sea fishes northern and southern regions of Iran. Design: Prevalence study. Animals: Rutilus frisi kutum, Mugil auratus risso, Otulitus ruber and stromateus niger. Procedure: One hundered and twenty samples of4 kinds of fishes were tested for C.botulinurz types from intestine and gills (240 exominations), using cooked meat medium. After centrifugation of the samples, bioassay technic was used for toxin detection to diagnose the type of C. botulinum. Statistical analysis: Descriptive study. Results: Ten (8.337o)out of 120 tested samples of intestine and gills in northern sea fishes, were positive for C. botulinum toxin. In this regdred, 8 out of 60 (13.33Vo) intestine and 2 out of 60 (3.33%) gill samples were positive. From 120 samples of intestine and gills examined for bacterial detection in southern sea fishes only 2 samples (1.667a) were positive, which both belonged to intestine samples. Overall, the order of contamination of C. botulinum lz 4 kinds of fishes were Mugil auratus risso (10%), Rutilus frisi kutum (6.6Vo), Otulitus ruber (3.33Vo) and Stromateus niger (\Vo).Type E showed the highest prevalence rate (50Vo) in this study. Conclusion: From the results of this study, type E of C. botulinum (psychrotrophic type) showed the highest prevalence rate which indicates health hazard and therefore proper and special control measures needed for food safety.