Clostridium perfringens is among the normal intestinal
inhabitants of humans and animals, and is widely distributed
in sewage, rivers, the sea and soils in nature. This
bacterium is known to cause severe infectious diseases
such as gas gangrene, suppurative infections, and sepsis.
This section, addressing food poisoning caused by this
bacterium, describes the bacteriologic characteristics and
etiologic features of the disease and outlines its epidemiology,
clinical manifestations and prophylaxis.