Bacillus cereus is a large Gram-positive bacillus with four major properties, differentiating it from B. anthracis: motility, hemolysis, absence of capsule and resistance to penicillin.

What are the characteristics of Bacillus cereus?

Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobic bacterium that can produce toxins which cause food poisoning. It belongs to the Bacillus genus and shares similar characteristics, such as forming protective endospores, with other Bacillus members including B.

What is special about Bacillus cereus?

Definition. Bacillus cereus is a foodborne pathogen that can produce toxins, causing two types of gastrointestinal illness: the emetic (vomiting) syndrome and the diarrhoeal syndrome. When the emetic toxin (cereulide) is produced in the food, vomiting occurs after ingestion of the contaminated food.