Clostridium botulinum

definition

Last update: 13/05/2026

Clostridium botulinum is a Gram-positive, obligately anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus that produces the most potent biological toxins known to man: Botulinum Neurotoxins (BoNTs). These toxins cause botulism, a severe paralytic disease characterized by descending flaccid paralysis [1].

The species is defined by its ability to produce neurotoxins rather than by a uniform genetic lineage. Consequently, it is subdivided into four distinct physiological groups (Groups I–IV). Furthermore, other species such as C. butyricum and C. baratii have been recognized as neurotoxigenic when they harbor BoNT-encoding genes [2], [3].
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