ABSTRACT
Several clostridial species (Table 18.1) exploit the anaerobic, nutrient-rich conditions of the mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) tract to cause enteric disease in humans and domestic animals. Clostridial enteric diseases are very common, often life-threatening, and impose significant economic burdens on medicine and animal husbandry. For example, prolonged hospitalizations from nosocomially acquired C. difficile infections annually drain billions of dollars from global healthcare systems.
