ABSTRACT
The genus Clostridium is one of the largest genera of bacteria containing more than 200 species, of which at least 34 have been considered pathogenic to man and animals. Clostridium botulinum, C. perfringens, and C. difficile are among the main pathogenic species of this genus. The first two are usually involved in foodborne outbreaks. In particular, C. botulinum produces the highly potent botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) that is responsible for botulism, a severe foodborne disease with a high fatality rate. 1
