Persistence and mobility of a Clostridium botulinum spore population introduced to soil with spiked compost

Abstract In a recent study it could be shown that compost samples can contain Clostridium botulinum. It was investigated if C. botulinum introduced with compost into botulinum-free soil can persist and be translocated within the soil. Compost was spiked with two C. botulinum type D spore concentrations (103 and 105 spores g−1) and the composts were spread on an experimental site. Over a period of 939 days, samples were taken from the upper (0–5 cm) and the lower (10–30 cm) soil horizons. Physical and chemical as well as microbiological variables were measured. Clostridium botulinum spores were quantified in a culture MPN-PCR assay. On day 757 the last positive sample was obtained in the plots with the lower spore concentration (103 g−1). The bacteria were never detected in the samples taken from the lower horizons of these plots. Clostridium botulinum persisted over the whole investigation period in the plots which were treated with compost spiked with 105 spores g−1. The concentrations found were between 20 and 20 000 spores g−1 soil. The bacteria were vertically translocated and could be found in the lower soil horizons (20–2000 spores g−1 soil) starting 70 days after the compost was spread.