Clostridium botulinum
Clostridium botulinum stained with gentian violet.
Scientific classification
Domain: Bacteria Division: Firmicutes Class: Clostridia Order: Clostridiales Family: Clostridiaceae Genus: Clostridium Species: C. botulinum
Binomial name
Clostridium botulinum van Ermengem, 1896

Clostridium botulinum is a bacterium that produces the toxin botulin, the causative agent in botulism.^[1] It is included in the genus Clostridium, a major group of Gram-positive forms. C. botulinum was first recognized and isolated in 1896 by Emile van Ermengem and is commonly found in soil. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (645x610, 430 KB) Summary Clostridium botulinum bacteria stained with Gentian violet. ... Methyl Violet 10B Gentian violet (crystal violet, Methyl Violet 10B, hexamethyl pararosaniline chloride) is an antifungal agent. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Phyla Actinobacteria Aquificae Chlamydiae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Lentisphaerae Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Verrucomicrobia Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are unicellular microorganisms. ... Classes Bacilli Clostridia Mollicutes The Firmicutes are a division of bacteria, most of which have Gram-positive cell wall structure. ... Orders The Clostridia are a class of Firmicutes, including Clostridium and other similar genera. ... Orders The Clostridia are a class of Firmicutes, including Clostridium and other similar genera. ... Genera Acetanaerobacterium Acetivibrio Acidaminobacter Alkaliphilus Anaerobacter Anaerotruncus Anoxynatronum Bryantella Caldanaerocella Caloramator Caloranaerobacter Caminicella Candidatus Arthromitus Clostridium Coprobacillus Dorea Ethanologenbacterium Faecalibacterium Garciella Guggenheimella Hespellia Linmingia Natronincola Oxobacter Parasporobacterium Sarcina Soehngenia Sporobacter Subdoligranulum Tepidibacter Tepidimicrobium Thermobrachium Thermohalobacter Tindallia The Clostridiaceae are a family of the Clostridia, and contains the Clostridium genus. ... Species Clostridium acetobutylicum Clostridium aerotolerans Clostridium botulinum Clostridium colicanis Clostridium difficile Clostridium formicaceticum Clostridium novyi Clostridium perfringens Clostridium sordelli Clostridium tetani Clostridium piliforme Clostridium tyrobutyricum etc. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Phyla Actinobacteria Aquificae Chlamydiae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Lentisphaerae Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Verrucomicrobia Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are unicellular microorganisms. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Botulin toxin or botox is the toxic compound produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. ... Botulism (Latin, botulus, sausage) is a rare, but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin, botulin, that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. ... Species Clostridium acetobutylicum Clostridium aerotolerans Clostridium botulinum Clostridium colicanis Clostridium difficile Clostridium formicaceticum Clostridium novyi Clostridium perfringens Clostridium sordelli Clostridium tetani Clostridium piliforme Clostridium tyrobutyricum etc. ... Gram-positive bacteria are those that are stained dark blue or violet by gram staining, in contrast to gram-negative bacteria, which are not affected by the stain. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ...

These rod-shaped organisms grow best in low-oxygen conditions. They form spores that allow them to survive in a dormant state until exposed to conditions that can support their growth.^[2] Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria can be identified by growning them in liquid culture: 1: Obligate aerobic bacteria gather at the top of the test tube in order to absorb maximal amount of oxygen. ... An endospore is a dormant, tough, non-reproductive structure produced by a small number of bacteria from the Firmicute family. ...

Subtypes

Each of the seven subtypes of C. botulinum produces a different botulin toxin.^[3] These are labeled with letters and are called A to G types. Types C and D are not human pathogens. A "mouse protection" test determines the type of C. botulinum present using monoclonal antibodies. Botulin toxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium clostridium botulinum. ... Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are antibodies that are identical because they were produced by one type of immune cell, all clones of a single parent cell. ...

In the United States, outbreaks are primarily due to types A or B, which are found in soil, or type E, which is found in fish. Optimum temperature for types A and B is 35-40 °C. Minimum pH is 4.6. It takes 25 min at 100 °C to kill these types. Optimum temperature for type E is 18-25 °C. Minimum pH is 5.0. It takes about 0.1 minute at 100 °C to kill type E C. botulinum. For other uses, see PH (disambiguation). ...

C. botulinum strains that do not produce a botulin toxin are referred to as Clostridium sporogenes^[4]. The species are otherwise phylogenetically indistinguishable, and C. sporogenes is often used as a model for the toxic subtypes.

Clostridium botulinum is also used to prepare Botox, used to selectively paralyze muscles to temporarily relieve wrinkles. It has other "off-label" medical purposes, such as treating severe facial pain, such as that caused by trigeminal neuralgia. Botulin toxin or botox is the toxic compound produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. ... The term off-label refers to the use of a drug for a medical condition other than for which it was officially approved and marketed. ... Trigeminal neuralgia, or Tic Douloureux, is a neuropathic disorder of the trigeminal nerve that causes episodes of intense pain in the eyes, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, and jaw. ...

Botulin toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is often believed to be a potential bioweapon as it is so potent that it takes less than 1 microgram to kill a person, a drop could kill 100,000 people, and 1 pound of it can kill the entire human population, though contact is uncommon.^{[citation needed]} Botulin toxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium clostridium botulinum. ... Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare, is the use of any organism (bacteria, virus or other disease_causing organism) or toxin found in nature, as a weapon of war. ...

Clostridium botulinum is a soil bacterium. The spores can survive in most environments and are very hard to kill. They can survive the temperature of boiling water at sea level, thus many foods are canned with a pressurized boil that achieves an even higher temperature, sufficient to kill the spores.

Growth of the bacterium can be prevented by high acidity, high ratio of dissolved sugar, high levels of oxygen, or very low levels of moisture. For example in a low acid, canned vegetable such as green beans that are not heated hot enough to kill the spores (ie. a pressurized environment) may provide an oxygen free medium for the spores to grow and produce the toxin. On the other hand, tomatoes or tomato sauce are sufficiently acidic to prevent growth; even if the spores are present, they pose no danger to the consumer. Honey, corn syrup, and other sweeteners may contain spores but the spores cannot grow in a highly concentrated sugar solution; however, when a sweetener is diluted in the low oxygen, low acid digestive system of an infant, the spores can grow and produce toxin. As soon as infants begin eating solid food, the digestive juices become too acidic for the bacterium to grow. For other uses, see Honey (disambiguation). ...

External links

• Pathema-Clostridium Resource

References