Clostridium botulinumRANK: SpeciesTAXONOMY: Terrabacteria group -> Firmicutes -> Clostridia -> Clostridiales -> Clostridiaceae -> Clostridium -> Clostridium botulinum OVERVIEW: 'Clostridium botulinum' is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic, spore- forming, motile bacterium with the ability to produce the neurotoxin botulinum. The botulinum toxin can cause a severe flaccid paralytic disease in humans and other animals and is the most potent toxin known to humankind, natural or synthetic, with a lethal dose of 1.3–2.1ng/kg in humans.(2010). Chapter 29. Clostridium, Peptostreptococcus, Bacteroides, and Other Anaerobes. In Ryan K.J., Ray C (Eds), Sherris Medical Microbiology, 5th ed. ISBN 978-0071604024 C. botulinum is a diverse group of pathogenic bacteria initially grouped together by their ability to produce botulinum toxin and now known as four distinct groups, C. botulinum groups I-IV. C. botulinum groups I-IV, as well as some strains of Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii, are the bacteria responsible for producing botulinum toxin. D. botulinum is responsible for foodborne botulism (ingestion of preformed toxin), infant botulism (intestinal infection with toxin-forming C. botulinum), and wound botulism (infection of a wound with C. botulinum). C. botulinum produces heat-resistant endospores that are commonly found in soil and are able to survive under adverse conditions. Synonyms : strain ELTDK 103, VTT E-98821, VPI 4440 [[Clostridium putrificum]], VPI 1550, Pacinia putrifica, NCTC 13037 [[Clostridium putrificum]], NCIMB 10677 [[Clostridium putrificum]], JCM 1410 [[Clostridium putrificum]], Ermengemillus botulinus, DSM 1734 [[Clostridium putrificum]], Clostridium putrificum, CIP 60.54 [[Clostridium putrificum]], CIP 104310, CDC KA 38, CCUG 15942 [[Clostridium putrificum]], Botulobacillus botulinus, Bacillus putrificus, Bacillus botulinus, BCRC 14514 [[Clostridium putrificum]], ATCC 25784 [[Clostridium putrificum]], ATCC 25763. Direct sub-taxa of Clostridium botulinum: Clostridium botulinum 14860, Clostridium botulinum 202F, Clostridium botulinum 213B, Clostridium botulinum 32B, Clostridium botulinum 399A, Clostridium botulinum 4411, Clostridium botulinum 5311a, Clostridium botulinum 5328A, Clostridium botulinum A112, Clostridium botulinum A13S, Clostridium botulinum A2 117, Clostridium botulinum A207, Clostridium botulinum A2B3 87, Clostridium botulinum A2B7 92, Clostridium botulinum A661222, Clostridium botulinum Af84, Clostridium botulinum AF84SC2, Clostridium botulinum B, Clostridium botulinum B13 This species has been identified as a resident in the human gastrointestinal tract based on the phylogenetic framework of its small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences.[PMC 4262072] |