Which characteristic is true for Clostridium tetani?

Which characteristic is true for Clostridium tetani?

• A. It is nonmotile
• B. It produces terminal spores
• C. It forms spores intracellularly
• D. It is lecithinase positive

Answer: (B)

Clostridium tetani is best identified by its endospores that sit at one end of the rod, giving a terminal or “drumstick” appearance. This terminal spore location is a distinctive feature used to describe and recognize the organism, so the statement that it produces terminal spores is true and most characterizing. In contrast, this bacterium is not nonmotile—it is motile with flagella—so that option is incorrect. Endospore formation happens inside the cell in many spore-formers, which isn’t unique to this species and thus isn’t the most distinguishing trait here. Finally, lecithinase positivity is associated more with other Clostridium species (like C. perfringens), not C. tetani, so that statement is false.

Clostridium tetani is best identified by its endospores that sit at one end of the rod, giving a terminal or “drumstick” appearance. This terminal spore location is a distinctive feature used to describe and recognize the organism, so the statement that it produces terminal spores is true and most characterizing. In contrast, this bacterium is not nonmotile—it is motile with flagella—so that option is incorrect. Endospore formation happens inside the cell in many spore-formers, which isn’t unique to this species and thus isn’t the most distinguishing trait here. Finally, lecithinase positivity is associated more with other Clostridium species (like C. perfringens), not C. tetani, so that statement is false.