Species/Subspecies: | Clostridium perfringens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Categories: | Zoonotic; causes hemolysis; spore forming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Etymology: | Genus name: a small spindle. Species epithet: breaking through, breaking in pieces. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Significance: | [Very important] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taxonomy: | Class Clostridia Order Clostridiales Family Clostridiaceae Genus Clostridium |
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Type Strain: | ATCC 13124 = CCUG 1795 = NCTC 8237. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Macromorphology (smell):
| Form large translucent, flat and filamentous colonies (about 5 mm in diameter) with irregular edges. Fluoresces in red on blood agar in the presence of carbohydrates. Most strains give a double hemolysis zone on bovine blood agar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Micromorphology: | Large non-motile rods (0.6-2.4 x 1.3-19.0 µm). Form spores, but this is rarely seen. They are large oval and central or subterminal. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gram +/Gram -: | G+ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Metabolism: | Anaerobic (but not very strict). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Catalase/Oxidase: | -/- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Enzymes: | Esculinase v, lechithinase +, tryptophanase -. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fermentation of carbohydrates: |
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Spec. Char.: | Optimal growth temperature: 43-47°C. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Special Media:
| Tryptose Sulfite Cycloserine agar (TSC agar) is used for isolation and enumeration of both vegetative cells and spores of C. perfringens in food and clinical samples. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Disease: | Necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens. Food poisoning. |
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Hosts: | Chicken, pig, ruminants, horse, rabbit, dog, humans etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Clinical Picture: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Virulence Factors: | Hemolysins (α-, δ-and θ-toxin), etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genome Sequence: |
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16S rRNA Seq.: |
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Taxonomy/phylogeny:
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About 180 differens species have been descibed within genus Clostridium. C. chauvoei C. perfringens belongs to the same phylogenetic group of clostridia as, among others, C. chauvoei and C. septicum. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Comment: | C. perfingens is divided in different groups depending upon which enterotoxins that are produced. Type A produces α-toxin. Type B produces α-, β-and ε-toxin. Type C produces α-and β-toxin. Type D produces α-and ε-toxin. Type E produces α-and ι-toxin. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reference(s): | No. 8, 35, 33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Link: | Clostridia.net | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Updated: | 2022-05-20 |
News |
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New families introduced within the order Enterobacterales![]() The order Enterobacterales (formerly called Enterobacteriales) previously consisted of bacteria with different properties and phylogenetically, these bacteria were far apart. In order for the taxonomy to be more in line with phylogeny, some of these bacteria have, therefore, been sorted into 6 new families. Published 2022-04-13. Read more... |