Clostridium

• Genus of anaerobic Gram-positive bacilli
• Previously included Clostridioides difficile, which causes severe antibiotic-associated diarrhea

Species	Disease	Spore	Enterotoxin	Neurotoxin
Common Clostridium species
Clostridium botulinum	botulism	terminal	no	yes
Clostridium perfringens	traumatic clostridial myonecrosis, food poisoning	subterminal and central	yes	no
Clostridium septicum	atraumatic clostridial myonecrosis from GI malignancy and neutropenia	subterminal	no	no
Clostridium sordellii	septic abortion or gynecologic procedures, gas gangrene	subterminal	no	no
Clostridium tetani	tetanus	terminal	no	yes
Clostridiodes species
Clostridioides difficile	diarrhea	subterminal	yes	no
Uncommon Clostridium species
Clostridium bifermentans	gas gangrene	subterminal	no	no
Clostridium novyi	gas gangrene	subterminal	no	no
Clostridium histolyticum	gas gangrene	subterminal	no	no
Clostridium tertium		terminal	no	no