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Veterinary bacteriology: information about important bacteria
Veterinary bacteriology


Species/Subspecies: Clostridium septicum
Categories: Causes hemolysis; spore forming; motile
Etymology: Genus name: a small spindle.
Species epithet: putrefactive.
Significance:  [Of minor importance]   
Taxonomy:
Phylum
Bacillota
Class
Clostridia
Order
Clostridiales
Family
Clostridiaceae 
Genus
Clostridium
Type Strain: ATCC 12464 = CCUG 4855 = NCTC 547.
Macromorphology (smell):
 
Forms very small gray-whitish colonies, which quickly flow out onto the plate into a dense carpet (the bacteria "swarm"). Gives β-hemolysis on blood agar.
Micromorphology: Large rods (0.6-1.9 x 1.9-35.0 µm), which usually are motile. Produce oval and subterminal spores.
Gram +/Gram -:G+
Metabolism: Anaerobic
Catalase/Oxidase:-/-
Other Enzymes: Esculinase +, lecithinase -, tryptophanase -.
Fermentation of carbohydrates:
D-glucose
?
lactose
+
maltose
+
L-rhamnose
-
sucrose
-
L-arabinose
-
cellobiose
(+)
D-mannitol
-
salicin
v
trehalose
(+)
glycerol
?
inulin
-
raffinose
-
D-sorbitol
-
starch
-
Other carbohydrates: Fructose +, galactose (+), mannose +, ribose v, xylose -.
Spec. Char.:
Disease:
 
HostsDiseaseClinical picture
Sheep, cattle and pigsMalignt oedema, false blackleg, braxyHigh fever, abomasitis, sudden death. Rapid putrefaction
HorsesGas gangrene, malign edemaSwollen muscles with edema and emphysema. Reluctance to move, lameness, pain and crepitation on palpation. Circulatory alterations, including subcutaneous edema and hemorrhage, leading to ischemia and local necrosis
Virulence Factors: C. septicum may cause severe infections by production f a hemolytic and necrotizing α-toxin.
16S rRNA Seq.:
Acc-noStrainNumber of NTOperon
U59278 ATCC 12464T 1 507  

Taxonomy/phylogeny:
 
About 180 differens species have been descibed within genus Clostridium. C. septicum is closely related toC. chauvoei.
Link: Clostridia.net
Updated:2023-03-08

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