Clostridium

Clostridium,

genus of gram-positive bacteria (see Gram's stainGram's stain,
laboratory staining technique that distinguishes between two groups of bacteria by the identification of differences in the structure of their cell walls. The Gram stain, named after its developer, Danish bacteriologist Christian Gram, has become an important tool
..... Click the link for more information. ), several species of which cause significant, potentially deadly diseases in humans as a result of the toxins that each produces. Clostridium bacteria are rod-shaped and anaerobic, that is, they live in the absence of oxygen; they are common in the soil. C. botulinum, which grows in improperly canned food, produces neurotoxins that when ingested cause the form of food poisoning known as botulismbotulism
, acute poisoning resulting from ingestion of food containing toxins produced by the bacillus Clostridium botulinum. The bacterium can grow only in an anaerobic atmosphere, such as that found in canned foods.
..... Click the link for more information. . C. difficile, commonly known as C. diff, is usually transmitted in hospitals and nursing homes as a result of poor personal hygiene and insufficient disinfection; a person taking antibiotics, which kills normal intestinal bacteria, is more susceptible to the bacterium. Infection may cause fever, nausea and abdominal pain, diarrhea, and, in more severe cases, colitiscolitis,
inflammation of the colon, or large intestine. The term "colitis" may be used to refer to any of a number of disorders involving the colon. Symptoms include diarrhea (often with blood and mucus), abdominal pain, and fever.
..... Click the link for more information. . Infection is most deadly in those over 65 years of age. Since 2001 a more virulent and drug-resistant strain has of C. difficile has developed, making infection increasingly difficult to treat. Treatment typically involves stopping the antibiotic that promoted the infection and taking the antibiotics metronidazole (Flagyl; in milder cases) or vancomycin (in more severe cases); in the most extreme cases, the colon may be surgically removed. C. perfringens infection causes gas gangrenegangrene,
local death of body tissue. Dry gangrene, the most common form, follows a disturbance of the blood supply to the tissues, e.g., in diabetes, arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, or destruction of tissue by injury.
..... Click the link for more information. ; it generally occurs in the body where trauma, surgery, or another cause has resulted in diminished blood supply. Within a week, fever and pain at the infection site results as the toxins released by the bacteria kill muscle cells; if untreated, muscle necrosis rapidly develops and spreads, leading to death. Tetanustetanus
or lockjaw,
acute infectious disease of the central nervous system caused by the toxins of Clostridium tetani. The organism has a widespread distribution and is common in the soil, human and animal feces, and the digestive tracts of animals and humans;
..... Click the link for more information. results when C. tetani infects body tissues through a puncture wound or trauma. C. tetani is common in the digestive tract, but its toxins are destroyed digestive enzymes.

Clostridium

A genus of bacteria comprising large anaerobic spore-forming rods that usually stain gram-positive. Most species are anaerobes, but a few will grow minimally in air at atmospheric pressure.

The clostridia are widely distributed in nature, and are present in the soil and in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. They usually live a saprophytic existence, and play a major role in the degradation of organic material in the soil and other nature environments. A number of clostridia release potent exotoxins and are pathogenic for humans and animals. Among the human pathogens are the causative agents of botulism (Clostridium botulinum), tetanus (C. tetani), gas gangrene (C. perfringens), and an antibiotic-associated enterocolitis (C. difficile). See Anaerobic infection, Botulism, Toxin

Clostridial cells are straight or slightly curved rods, 0.3–1.6 micrometers wide and 1–14 μm long. They may occur singly, in pairs, in short or long chains, or in helical coils. The length of the cells of the individual species varies according to the stage of growth and growth conditions. Most clostridia are motile with a uniform arrangement of flagella. See Cilia and flagella

The endospores produced by clostridia are dormant structures capable of surviving for prolonged periods of time, and have the ability to reestablish vegetative growth when appropriate environmental conditions are provided. The spores of clostridia are oval or spherical and are wider than the vegetative bacterial cell. Among the distinctive forms are spindle-shaped organisms, club-shaped forms, and tennis racket-shaped structures:

Clostridia are obligate anaerobes: they are unable to use molecular oxygen as a final electron acceptor and generate their energy solely by fermentation. Clostridia exhibit varying degrees of intolerance of oxygen. Some species are sensitive to oxygen concentrations as low as 0.5%, but most species can tolerate concentrations of 3–5%. The sensitivity of clostridia to oxygen restricts their habitat to anaerobic environments; habitats that contain large amounts of organic matter provide optimal conditions for their growth and survival.

A primary property of all species of Clostridium is their inability to carry out a dissimilatory reduction of sulfate. Most species are chemoorganotrophic. The substrate spectrum for the genus as a whole is very broad and includes a wide range of naturally occurring compounds. Extracellular enzymes are secreted by many species, enabling the organism to utilize a wide variety of complex natural substrates in the environment.

Clostridium

a genus of spore-bearing bacteria, first described in 1880 by the Polish microbiologist A. Prazmowski. The genus Clostridium includes all bacteria whose cells swell at the center during the process of sporulation and take on a spindle shape. Most of the bacteria in the group are anaerobes and are capable of fermenting various hydrocarbons. Included in the genus are the causative agents of acetobutylic fermentation, retting, tetanus, botulism, and gas gangrene.

Clostridium

[klä′strid·ē·əm] (microbiology) A genus of bacteria in the family Bacillaceae; usually motile rods which form large spores that distend the cell; anaerobic and do not reduce sulfate.

Clostridium

[klo-strid´e-um] a genus of gram-positive, obligate anaerobic or microaerophilic, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacteria. Several species cause gangrene" >gas gangrene, including C. bifermen´tans, C. histioly´ticum, C. no´vyi, C. perfrin´gens (the most common cause), and C. sep´ticum. Other species are C. botuli´num, the cause of botulism" >botulism; C. diffi´cile, the cause of colitis" >antibiotic-associated colitis; and C. te´tani, the cause of tetanus.

clostridium

[klo-strid´e-um] (pl. clostri´dia) (L.) any individual of the genus Clostridium.

Clostridium

(klos-trid'ē-ŭm), A genus of anaerobic (or anaerobic, aerotolerant), spore-forming, motile (occasionally nonmotile) bacteria (family Bacillaceae) containing gram-positive rods; motile cells are peritrichous. Many species are saccharolytic and fermentative, producing various acids and gases and variable amounts of neutral products; other species are proteolytic, some attacking proteins with putrefaction or more complete proteolysis. Some species fix free nitrogen. These organisms sometimes produce exotoxins; they are generally found in soil and in the mammalian intestinal tract, where they may cause disease. The type species is Clostridium butyricum. [G. klōstēr, a spindle]

clos·trid·i·um

, pl.

clos·trid·i·a

(klos-trid'ē-ŭm, -ă), A vernacular term used to refer to any member of the genus Clostridium.

clostridium

(klŏ-strĭd′ē-əm)n. pl. clostrid·ia (-ē-ə) Any of various rod-shaped, spore-forming, chiefly anaerobic bacteria of the genus Clostridium, such as certain nitrogen-fixing species found in soil and those causing botulism and tetanus.

clos·trid′i·al (-əl) adj.

Clos·trid·i·um

(klos-trid'ē-ŭm) A genus of anaerobic (or anaerobic, aerotolerant), spore-forming, motile (occasionally nonmotile) bacteria containing gram-positive rods. Exotoxins are sometimes produced by these organisms. They may cause disease in humans and other animals. They are generally found in soil and in the intestinal tract of humans and other animals. The type species is C. butyricum.

clos·trid·i·um

, pl. clostridia (klos-trid'ē-ŭm, -ă) A vernacular term used to refer to any member of the genus Clostridium.

Clostridium,

Any bacterium of the genus Clostridium . These are rod shaped and spore-forming and mostly able to reproduce in the absence of free oxygen (anaerobic). The genus includes Clostridium welchii which causes gas gangrene, Clostridium tetani which causes TETANUS and Clostridium botulinum which causes BOTULISM.

Clostridium

A genus of deadly bacteria that are responsible for tetanus and other serious diseases, including botulism and gangrene from war wounds. Clostridia thrives without oxygen.Mentioned in: Tetanus

Clos·trid·i·um

(klos-trid'ē-ŭm) Genus of anaerobic, spore-forming, motile bacteria that may cause disease in intestinal tract.

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Synonyms for clostridium

noun spindle-shaped bacterial cell especially one swollen at the center by an endospore

Synonyms

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