EXOone Bacteroides fragilis

Description

Bacteroides fragilis is an anaerobic Gram-negative bacterium that forms part of the normal intestinal microbiota, but certain strains produce virulence factors such as the enterotoxin (BFT), which contributes to pathogenicity.
Enterotoxigenic strains are associated with intestinal disease characterized by diarrhea and inflammation due to disruption of epithelial cell barrier function. These infections may have clinical relevance in different animal species and are linked to enteric disorders.
Conventional detection methods may not differentiate toxigenic from non-toxigenic strains and are limited by anaerobic growth requirements. Real-time PCR enables rapid, sensitive and specific detection of the gene encoding the enterotoxin, supporting accurate identification of virulent strains in clinical samples.