Many clostridia produce a zone of beta-hemolysis on blood agar
C. botulinum as a muscle relaxant.
C. botulinum is caused by spiced, smoked, vacuum packed, or canned alkaline foods that are eaten without cooking
BIG (human botulinum immunoglobulin) in infants
Botulinum toxin is considered to be a major potential agent for bioterrorism and biologic warfare
C. tetani toxin is tetanospasmin
C. tetani affects the CNS (spinal cord and brainstem)
Active and passive immunization for clostridia
tetanus immune globulin is given to prevent tetanus, and gives passive immunization
surgical debridement of affected area for treatment of C. perfringens
tetanus toxoid is often combined with diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine
risus sardonicus = spasms of the facial muscles due to to tetanus
opisthotonus = rigidity on extensor muscles of the neck and back due to tetanus
lockjaw = spasms of the muscles of the jaw due to tetanus
C. perfringens is also called welchii
heat-labile neurotoxin produced by
alpha toxin
enterotoxin
tetanospasmin
clostridium is hemolytic
toxic shock syndrome is associated with C. sordeli from medical abortion
crepitation is caused by C. perfringens
pseudomembranous colitis and antibiotic associated diarrhea is caused by C. difficile
flaccid paralysis is caused by a block of acetylcholine by C. botulinum
C. tetani also produces a neurotoxin, tetanospasmin, that blocks release of inhibitory neurotransmitters
C. difficile is the most common cause of hospital diarrhea
Corynebacterium is aerobic, non-spore forming, and gram (+)
Corynebacterium are clubbed shaped
biotypes of corynebacterium are classified on the basis of growth characteristics such as colony morphology, biochemical reactions, and severity of the disease
corynebacterium are spread by droplets or by contact
diphtheria toxin is heat-labile
corynebacterium diphtheria will form a pseudomembrane