Biomaterial Database

The clinical significance, taxonomy and special methodological problems of the pathogenic clostridia. 1980

J Bittner

The clinical significance of clostridia is much greater than is generally recognized. The organisms are a major cause of septic abortion, Clostridium perfringens being the most important single organism. This species is also the principle agent in food-poisoning. Clostridium botulinum is considered to be one of the main causes of the sudden death syndrome in infants. As clostridia are universally distributed in nature and the human body, the isolation of an organism of this group from the human body is significant only if it can be linked with pathological changes. In the case of histotoxic disease, a direct gramstained smear from the lesion is of paramount importance, since the pathogens are always present in large numbers. Generally, a few simple procedures and tests ensure the rapid isolation and identification of the main pathogenic clostridia. C. perfringens, by far the most important species, may be identified by its ability to produce lecithinase on egg yolk-glucose agar and stormy clot in litmus milk. However, strain identification of this microorganism is much more complicated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003013	Clostridium	A genus of motile or nonmotile gram-positive bacteria of the family Clostridiaceae. Many species have been identified with some being pathogenic. They occur in water, soil, and in the intestinal tract of humans and lower animals.
D003015	Clostridium Infections	Infections with bacteria of the genus CLOSTRIDIUM and closely related CLOSTRIDIOIDES species.	Clostridioides Infections,Clostridioides difficile Infection,Clostridioides perfringens Food Poisoning,Clostridioides perfringens Infections,Clostridioides sordellii Infection,Clostridium difficile Infections,Clostridium sordellii Infections,Clostridium difficile Infection,Clostridium perfringens Food Poisoning,Clostridium perfringens Infections,Clostridium sordellii Infection,Infections, Clostridium,Clostridioides Infection,Clostridioides perfringens Infection,Clostridium Infection,Clostridium perfringens Infection,Infection, Clostridioides difficile,Infection, Clostridioides sordellii,Infection, Clostridium,Infection, Clostridium difficile,Infection, Clostridium sordellii
D005517	Foodborne Diseases	Acute illnesses, usually affecting the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, brought on by consuming contaminated food or beverages. Most of these diseases are infectious, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, or parasites that can be foodborne. Sometimes the diseases are caused by harmful toxins from the microbes or other chemicals present in the food. Especially in the latter case, the condition is often called food poisoning.	Food Poisoning,Food-borne Disease,Food-borne Illness,Foodborne Disease,Foodborne Illness,Food-borne Diseases,Food-borne Illnesses,Foodborne Illnesses,Poisoning, Food,Disease, Food-borne,Disease, Foodborne,Food Poisonings,Food borne Disease,Food borne Diseases,Food borne Illness,Food borne Illnesses,Illness, Food-borne,Illness, Foodborne,Illnesses, Foodborne
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000693	Anaerobiosis	The complete absence, or (loosely) the paucity, of gaseous or dissolved elemental oxygen in a given place or environment. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Anaerobic Metabolism,Anaerobic Metabolisms,Anaerobioses,Metabolism, Anaerobic,Metabolisms, Anaerobic
D001431	Bacteriological Techniques	Techniques used in studying bacteria.	Bacteriologic Technic,Bacteriologic Technics,Bacteriologic Techniques,Bacteriological Technique,Technic, Bacteriological,Technics, Bacteriological,Technique, Bacteriological,Techniques, Bacteriological,Bacteriologic Technique,Bacteriological Technic,Bacteriological Technics,Technic, Bacteriologic,Technics, Bacteriologic,Technique, Bacteriologic,Techniques, Bacteriologic