CHARACTERISTICS OF PROGENY OF ETHYLENE OXIDE TREATED Clostridium botulinum TYPE 62A SPORES

SUMMARY– Spores of Clostridium botulinum Type 62A were exposed to a mixture of 12% ethylene oxide (ETO) and 88% dichlorodifluoromethane to determine if the ETO resistance, toxin producing ability and spore producing ability would be retained in progeny of successive generations exposed to ETO. D values for the spores exposed to 700 mg per liter of ETO, at 40°C and 47% relative humidity, showed that there was no significant difference in ETO resistance through four successive generations of survivors. Toxin producing ability of the various generations was shown to be qualitatively similar by injecting mice intraperitoneally with culture supernatants. Microscopic examination of the different generations revealed no difference in rate or extent of spore production. Therefore, according to these criteria, there appeared to be no adaptations or mutations caused by four ETO exposures.