Which bacterium is responsible for tetanus?

Which bacterium is responsible for tetanus?

• A. Clostridium tetani
• B. Streptococcus pneumoniae
• C. Escherichia coli
• D. Staphylococcus aureus

Answer: (A)

Tetanus is caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium tetani. This organism is an obligate anaerobe, forms spores, and is a gram-positive rod commonly found in soil. When a wound provides low oxygen, the spores germinate and release tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin that travels to the nervous system and blocks the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA and glycine. This removal of inhibition leads to unopposed motor neuron activity, producing the muscle rigidity and spasms characteristic of tetanus. Vaccination with tetanus toxoid trains the immune system to neutralize the toxin. The other bacteria listed cause different infections—Streptococcus pneumoniae for pneumonia and meningitis, Escherichia coli for UTIs and gastroenteritis, and Staphylococcus aureus for various skin and systemic infections.

Tetanus is caused by a toxin produced by Clostridium tetani. This organism is an obligate anaerobe, forms spores, and is a gram-positive rod commonly found in soil. When a wound provides low oxygen, the spores germinate and release tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin that travels to the nervous system and blocks the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA and glycine. This removal of inhibition leads to unopposed motor neuron activity, producing the muscle rigidity and spasms characteristic of tetanus. Vaccination with tetanus toxoid trains the immune system to neutralize the toxin. The other bacteria listed cause different infections—Streptococcus pneumoniae for pneumonia and meningitis, Escherichia coli for UTIs and gastroenteritis, and Staphylococcus aureus for various skin and systemic infections.