Clostridium Welchi

Morphology

i)                    Shape – It is thin , rod shaped , bacillus

ii)                   Size – It is 2 to 4 μ in length and 3.5 to 1μin breadth .

iii)                 Spore – Oval subterminal spore is present .

iv)                 Capsule – it is capsulated .

v)                  Flagella – It is non-flagellated . So it is non-motile .

vi)                 Non acid fast bacillus .

vii)               Gram positive bacteria .

Toxins liberated by Clostridium welchi

Exotoxin and aggressin are liberated vby Clostridium welchi

The toxic factors liberated by Clostridium welchi  are –

i)                    α( Alpha )  Toxin – It is an enzyme lecithinase . It may act as haemolysin when it will attack phospholipid coating of RBCs . all type of Clostridium welchi  can produce α – toxin .

ii)                   β ( Beta ) Toxin -  It is produced by B , C and F strains .

iii)                 € ( Epsilon ) Toxin – It is produced by B strains .

iv)                 ι  ( Iota ) toxin – Only type E strain will produce .

v)                  γ ( Gamma ) and τ ( Eta ) toxin – They are minor toxin  .

vi)                 σ ( Delta ) toxin – It haemolyses RBCs of animal .

vii)               θ ( theta) toxin – It will cause haemolysis .

viii)              κ ( kappa ) toxin – It collagenase in character .

ix)                 λ ( lambda ) toxin – It is proteinase and gelatinase in character .

x)                  μ ( mu ) toxin – It is hyaluronidase in character .

xi)                 ν ( Nu ) toxin – It is desoxyribonuclease in character .