Variability in Morphological and Biochemical Properties of Clostridium histolyticum (Weinberg and Seguin)

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Abstract
Cl. histolyticum on liver-veal agar grows in perfectly round colonies, is non-saecharolytic, thoroughly pathogenic and produces a wine red color when inoculated into nutrient-iron-gelatin. However by repeated early transplants on media rich on protein, variants can be obtained of colonies with irregular shape leading by repeated selection to filamentous colonies. The gradual change in colony form corresponds with a gradual change in biochem. properties (glucose fermentation, H2S formation, loss in pathogenicity and in production of the wine red color in nutrient iron gelatin and increasing agglutinability with sporogenes serum). The filamentous colony form, ultimately obtained from pure cultures of Cl. histolyticum, is practically identical with Cl. sporogenes. A genetic relation between both species of sporulating anaerobes is suggested.