Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic endospore forming
Gram-positive bacteria and a significant cause of histotoxic and
gastrointestinal diseases in humans and animals. C. perfringens type A food poisoning currently
ranks as the third most common food-borne illness . The GI symptoms of this food-borne
illness are caused by a small group (w5%) of type A isolates that
produces C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE).