Clostridium

Bacterial Information	Value
Taxonomy level	Genus
NCBI Taxonomy ID	1485
Phylum	Firmicutes
Family	Clostridiaceae
Gram stain	Gram-positive
Oxygen requirements	Anaerobic
Spore-forming	Yes
Motile	Variable
Image(C. sporogenes)

Table of Contents

Overview

Clostridium are anaerobic, Gram-positive bacteria that are capable of producing endospores. The reproductive (vegetative) form are rod-shaped, while the endospores have a distinct bowling pin shape which distinguish them from many other bacterial endospores (which are typically oval shaped).

Biological information

Detection

Clostridium species are commonly found in environmental (particularly soil) and gastrointestinal samples. They are also a normal inhabitant of the healthy lower reproductive tract in females.

The main species responsible for human disease are:

• Clostridium botulinum: can produce botulinum toxin in food or wounds, leading to botulism.
• Clostridium perfringens: causes a variety of symptoms, including food poisoning, cellulitis, fasciitis, necrotic enteritis, and gas gangrene.
• Clostridium tetani: causes tetanus.

Previous members of the Clostridium genus of note are C. difficile (now Clostridioides), C. histolyticum (now Hathewaya), and C. sordellii (now Paeniclostridium).