Botulinum neurotoxins wound botulism

Botulism is a potent neurotoxin produced from Clostridium botulinum that is an anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium. There are three different types ofbotulism Foodborne botulism occurs when a person ingests a pre-formed toxin that leads to illness within a few hours or days. Foodborne botulism is a public health emergency because the contaminated food may still be available. Infant botulism occurs in a small number of susceptible infants each year who harbor C. botulinum in their intestinal tract. Wound botulism occurs when wounds are infected with C. botulinum that secretes the toxin. Approximately 100 cases of the three types of botulism are reported within the United States each year about 5 percent are wound botulism, 25 percent are foodborne botulism, and a full 70 percent are infant botulism. Death can result from respiratory failure, but those who survive may have fatigue and shortness of breath for years. 

Wound botulism occurs where C. botulinum spores germinate in wound infections and develop into vegetative cells. In such cases, neurotoxin is produced which leads to the onset of neurological symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 cases of wound botulism (13.6% of all botulism cases) were reported in 2001 in the U.S. Wound botulism has also been diagnosed after intravenous drug injection (Rundervoort et al., 2003). 

The clostridial neurotoxins are the most toxic substances known to science. The neurotoxin produced from Clostridium tetani (tetanus toxin) is encountered by humans as a result of wounds and remains a serious public health problem in developing countries around the world. However, nearly everyone reared in the western world is protected from tetanus toxin as a result of the ordinary course of childhood immunizations. Humans are usually exposed to the neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum (ie, the botu-linum toxins, of which there are seven in all) by means of food poisoning, although there are rare incidents of wound botulism and a colonizing infection of neonates known as infant botulism.1 Since the incidence of botulinum poisoning by all routes is very rare,... 

Botulism, the deadly food poisoning disease is caused by the growth of various strains of Clostridium botulinum in food. The organism produces a large polypeptide (neurotoxin) which is the most toxic protein known to the human kind. Seven serotypes of botulinum neurotoxins produced by different strains of C. botulinum have been characterized, and serotypes A, B and E are known to cause botulism in humans. Ingestion of food contaminated with the neurotoxin causes flaccid muscle paralysis that can result in patients death. Wound botulism has also been reported where the organism can grow in the wounds, and produces the neurotoxin that causes paralysis. 

Botulism is most commonly caused by ingestion of a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum in improperly canned food. Poisoning may also occur after wound contamination with the organism. Infant botulism may occur when spores of the organism germinate and manufacture the toxin in the intestinal tract of infants. Botulinum toxin works by inhibiting ACh release at all cholinergic synapses. 

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