Clostridium

Clostridium
General features of clostridia
Clostridium, consists of gram-positive, spore-forming rods(endospores) the position of the developing spore within the vegetative cell is useful in identifying the species, and it obligate anaerobes .Individual cells are rod-shaped, which gives them their name, from the Greek spindle that are associated with soft tissue and skin infections. These organisms also synthesize some of the most potent exotoxins known. For example, the toxins of specific clostridial species cause botulism, tetanus, gas gangrene, and pseudomembranous colitis. A number of anaerobic, gram-negative rods, such as Bacteroides and related genera, are frequently involved in visceral and other abscesses, although these are generally polymicrobic (mixed) infections in which some facultative bacteria are also involved. Clostridium consists of around 100 species that include common free-living bacteria as well as important pathogens.
Clostridia
Clostridium (spore-forming) motile: Clostridium difficile (Pseudomembranous colitis) • Clostridium botulinum (Botulism) • Clostridium tetani (Tetanus)
nonmotile: Clostridium perfringens (Gas gangrene, Clostridial necrotizing enteritis)


There are five main species responsible for disease in humans include:
C. perfringens causes Histotoxic (tissue destructive) infections (Myonecrosis)or Gas Gangrene and food poisoning
C. difficile causes pseudomembranous colitis associated with antibiotic use
C. tetani causes tetanus
C. botulinum causes botulism