Clostridium perfringens in pork sausages from the Metropolitan Area, CostaRica.

The presence of C. perfringens was analized in 75 samples of pork sausages (chorizo, salchichon and bologna), obtained from five processing plants loc ated in the Metropolitan Area of Costa Pica. Previously and after the bioch emical identification of the strains, the most probable number (MPN) of C. perfringens per gram of food was determined and it varied from less than 3 to more than 2,4 x 10(5). There were significant statistical differences (p <0.005) that support the need of employing biochemical tests for confirming C, perfringens in a given food. C. perfringens was present in 92% of the c horizos, in 28% of the bolognas and in 12% of the salchichon. Every positiv e sample was tested looking for at least one enterotoxigenic strain, using the reverse passive agglutination latex test; 8% of the tested strains were enterotoxigenic and corresponded to chorizo and bologna from one processin g plant and chorizo from another plant. The results obtained in this study show that pork sausages, and not just not processed meats, are important as risk factors for food intoxication by C. perfringens.