Description
Bacillus cereus is a large, Gram-positive bacterium. As a soil bacterium, B. cereus can spread easily to many types of foods such as plants, eggs, meat, and dairy products, and is known for causing 2-5 % of food-borne intoxications due to its secretion of emetic toxins and enterotoxins.
It is an opportunistic human pathogen and is occasionally associated with infections, causing periodontal diseases and other more serious infections. Immunocompromised patients are susceptible to bacteremia, endocarditis, meningitis, pneumonia, and endophthalmitis. Its potential to cause systemic infections are of concern.
