Clostridium tetani is the bacterium responsible for the disease known as tetanus.
TAXONOMY & CHARACTERISTICS
Clostridium tetani is a slender, Gram-positive, strict anaerobic rod and reproduces asexually.
It resembles a drum stick or tennis racket after gram-staining.
The bacterium is heat-sensitive and is not able to survive in the presence of oxygen, but it can develop round terminal endospores that are resistant to heat and can survive extreme conditions.
C. tetani can be found in soil, water, sewage, and gastrointestinal tracts of animals and humans. It is most common in soils and can survive for decades.
It can be harmless if not in the ideal anaerobic environment. In order for C. tetani to secrete its toxin, it must be in an environment free of oxygen.
Gram stain of Clostridium tetani
http://mednote.dk/images/