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Bacteriology and Pathology of Neurotoxigenic Clostridia

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Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxins

Abstract

Neurotoxigenic clostridia are classified in Bergey’s Manual6 as either Clostridium tetani or Clostridium botulinum. The nomenclature has been strictly determined by the kind of neurotoxin that the organisms produce. For C. tetani, the system has been satisfactory because thus far, only one phenotype of organism has been observed to produce the tetanus neurotoxin. It also remains simple in that only one serologic type of tetanus toxin has been identified. With this simplicity, it is possible to refer to organisms which have all of the same characteristics, but lack the ability to produce the neurotoxin, as nontoxigenic C. tetani. The system for naming organisms that produce botulinum neurotoxin, however, is laden with a number of problems because of the multiplicity of phenotypes and genotypes of organisms that must be included.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, 30333

    Charles L. Hatheway

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  1. Charles L. Hatheway
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  1. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Bibhuti R. DasGupta

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© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Hatheway, C.L. (1993). Bacteriology and Pathology of Neurotoxigenic Clostridia. In: DasGupta, B.R. (eds) Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxins. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9542-4_55

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9542-4_55

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9544-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9542-4

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