Clostridium perfringens type C isolates rapidly upregulate their toxin production upon contact with host cells: new insights into virulence?

Since tetanus was first described by Hippocrates, the devastating diseases caused by pathogenic members of the gram-positive, anaerobic sporeforming genus Clostridium have ranked among the most dreaded afflictions of humans and domestic animals. The quintessential hallmark of all clostridial diseases is the involvement of potent protein toxins. However, except for some foodborne botulism cases, clostridial diseases are not intoxications involving preformed toxins; rather, these illnesses are true infections involving toxin production by bacteria growing inside the host.