Does Clostridium perfringens cause intoxication, infection, or both?

Does Clostridium perfringens cause intoxication, infection, or both?

• A. Intoxication only
• B. Infection only
• C. Neither
• D. Both intoxication and infection

Answer: (D)

Clostridium perfringens can cause disease in two ways, so it fits both intoxication and infection. In food poisoning, a toxin (enterotoxin) is produced in contaminated food. When people eat the food, the toxin causes the symptoms—this is an intoxication, because illness results from exposure to a preformed toxin rather than ongoing bacterial invasion. In wound or tissue infections, the bacteria grow in anaerobic tissue and release toxins (including alpha toxin) that damage cells and cause necrosis. The disease arises from the infection and toxin production within the tissue, not from a toxin preformed in food. Because it can produce illness through preformed toxin in food and through infection with toxin production in tissue, the correct answer is that it can cause both intoxication and infection.

Clostridium perfringens can cause disease in two ways, so it fits both intoxication and infection.

In food poisoning, a toxin (enterotoxin) is produced in contaminated food. When people eat the food, the toxin causes the symptoms—this is an intoxication, because illness results from exposure to a preformed toxin rather than ongoing bacterial invasion.

In wound or tissue infections, the bacteria grow in anaerobic tissue and release toxins (including alpha toxin) that damage cells and cause necrosis. The disease arises from the infection and toxin production within the tissue, not from a toxin preformed in food.

Because it can produce illness through preformed toxin in food and through infection with toxin production in tissue, the correct answer is that it can cause both intoxication and infection.