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Review
. 2018 Aug 6;7(1):141.
doi: 10.1038/s41426-018-0144-8.

An update on the human and animal enteric pathogen Clostridium perfringens

Raymond Kiu  1   2 , Lindsay J Hall  3
Affiliations
Review

An update on the human and animal enteric pathogen Clostridium perfringens

Raymond Kiu et al. Emerg Microbes Infect. .

Abstract

Clostridium perfringens, a rapid-growing pathogen known to secrete an arsenal of >20 virulent toxins, has been associated with intestinal diseases in both animals and humans throughout the past century. Recent advances in genomic analysis and experimental systems make it timely to re-visit this clinically and veterinary important pathogen. This Review will summarise our understanding of the genomics and virulence-linked factors, including antimicrobial potentials and secreted toxins of this gut pathogen, and then its up-to-date clinical epidemiology and biological role in the pathogenesis of several important human and animal-associated intestinal diseases, including pre-term necrotising enterocolitis. Finally, we highlight some of the important unresolved questions in relation to C. perfringens-mediated infections, and implications for future research directions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. C. perfringens current toxinotyping system.
The names of toxin genes are printed in grey
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. The linearised pangenome of 56 C. perfringens strains reveals significant genetic diversity.
Each coloured block represents synteny (homolog: identical gene with >95% sequence similarity) in the pangenome. Figure adapted from Kiu et al.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Graphical representation of disease-linked virulence factors of C. perfringens in the context of intestinal infections.
Classification of toxins according to general mechanisms of action are shown in the bottom blue box
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Proposed infection mechanisms that underlie C. perfringens-associated NEC.
a In non-NEC ‘healthy’ term infant gut. b In pre-term infant gut that leads to C. perfringens-associated NEC
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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