clostridium

Definition

A genus of bacteria that throws the ultimate anaerobic party in soil and intestines, including the overachievers responsible for botulism and tetanus. These spore-forming troublemakers are gram-positive, meaning they retain that purple dye in lab tests while plotting your demise. Despite their villain status, some species are actually helpful in your gut—proof that not all party crashers are bad.

Example Usage

The microbiology student's face went pale when she realized the clostridium sample had been left out overnight in aerobic conditions.

Source: Medical microbiology terminology

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