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Multiple Choice

Which bacterium is listed as a toxin-producing bacterium?

Some foodborne illnesses are driven by toxins the bacteria produce rather than just by their growth. Clostridium perfringens is a classic example: it forms an enterotoxin during sporulation in the gut, which causes rapid-onset diarrhea and abdominal cramps. The toxins can be produced in foods that are not cooled properly or kept warm, so the toxin itself is the main cause of illness. This makes it the best-supported choice for a toxin-producing bacterium among the options. While other bacteria can produce toxins in some contexts, Clostridium perfringens is the strongest representative of a toxin-mediated foodborne illness in this context.

Some foodborne illnesses are driven by toxins the bacteria produce rather than just by their growth. Clostridium perfringens is a classic example: it forms an enterotoxin during sporulation in the gut, which causes rapid-onset diarrhea and abdominal cramps. The toxins can be produced in foods that are not cooled properly or kept warm, so the toxin itself is the main cause of illness. This makes it the best-supported choice for a toxin-producing bacterium among the options. While other bacteria can produce toxins in some contexts, Clostridium perfringens is the strongest representative of a toxin-mediated foodborne illness in this context.