title: [Toxins of Clostridium perfringens as a natural and bioterroristic threats].
abstract: Clostridium perfringens is absolutely anaerobic rod-shaped, sporeforming bacterium. The morbidity is connected with producing toxins. Depending on the type of toxin produced Clostridium perfringens can be divided into five serotypes:A-E. Under natural conditions, this bacterium is responsible for local outbreaks of food poisoning associated with eating contaminated food which which was improperly heat treated. Some countries with lower economic level are endemic foci of necrotizing enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens. The bacterium is also a major cause of gas gangrene. It is a disease, associated with wound infection, with potentially fatal prognosis in the case of treatment's delays. In the absence of early radical surgery, antibiotic therapy and (if available) hyperbaric treatment leads to the spread of toxins in the body causing shock, coma and death. Due to the force of produced toxins is a pathogen that poses a substrate for the production of biological weapons. It could potentially be used to induce outbreaks of food poisoning and by missiles contamination by spore lead to increased morbidity of gas gangrene in injured soldiers. C. perfringens types B and D produce epsilon toxin considered to be the third most powerful bacterial toxin. Because of the ability to disperse the toxin as an aerosol and a lack of methods of treatment and prevention of poisoning possible factors it is a potential tool for bioterrorism It is advisable to continue research into vaccines and treatments for poisoning toxins of C. perfringens.
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Medicine in Warsaw, Department of Internal Medicine, Pneumonology and Allergology, Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of National Defence.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Omernik
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Medicine in Warsaw, Department of Internal Medicine, Pneumonology and Allergology, Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of National Defence.
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Płusa
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D054045:Biological Warfare Agents; D023482:Bioterrorism; D003016:Clostridium perfringens; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D005738:Gas Gangrene / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D054045:Biological Warfare Agents
keywords: Clostridium perfringens; bioterrorism; epsilon toxin