Botulinum toxin poisoning

Holland, R.L. and Brown, M.C. (1981) Nerve growth in botulinum toxin poisoned muscles. Neuroscience 6 1167-1179. 

Myasthenia gravis Lambert-Ealon myasthenic syndrome Disorder Botulinum toxin poisoning Intermediate syndrome Congenital ACItC defleieney... 

AC is included in the recommended treatment of ricin, saxitoxin, T2 mycotoxins and botulinum toxin poisoning although its efficacy remains to be proven [65,71]. It is interesting that rather large objects such as bacteria (0.1-10 pm) can be retained by AC at all these results suggest that the nature of AC surface - bacteria interaction cannot be attributed to physical adsorption only for smaller objects such as vimses (10-100 ran) and molecules of biotoxins which have molecular weight up to 1000 kDa contribution of adsorption in mesopores may be important. 

One other mode of botulinum toxin poisoning has a significant number of cases in the United States infant botulism.1 These cases involve an ongoing colonization of the intestines of infants, usually in the first year of life, by the usually benign C botulinum organism. Apparently, the flora of newborns, their intestinal environment, or both is such that the organism can grow and produce toxin there are no well-documented cases of intestinal infections in adult humans. 

There are reports of the benefits of botulinum toxin in the treatment of cerebral palsy in children. The toxin, produced by Clostridium botulinum, is a powerful and deadly poison, but is also an effective muscle relaxant. It is not licensed for use as such in the UK but is undergoing clinical trials. Current evidence suggests that repeat injections are necessary some 4-6 months after the first. 

Park, J.B. and Simpson, L.L., Inhalational poisoning by botulinum toxin and inhalation vaccination with its heavy-chain component. Infect. Immun., 71, 1147-1154, 2003. 

Botulinum toxins are a collection of protein molecules that are extraordinarily poisonous to the nervous system. These toxins are metabolic... 

Paralytic shellfish poison, like botulinum toxin, is a neurotoxic substance and can also affect certain muscles, including the heart, which are under nervous system control. Some poisoned humans who have recovered from the effects of PSP have described the early stages of intoxication as not at all unpleasant a tingling sensation in the lips and face and a feeling of calm. Those who die from PSP ingestion do so because of respiratory failure. 

Just as too much acetylcholine activity can be a problem, so can too little. Botulinum toxin is a mixture of eight proteins that act to inhibit the release of acetylcholine. This toxin is the product of the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulimm. Ingestion of this toxin causes the life-threatening food poisoning known as botulism. 

Botulinum toxin from Clostridium botulinum is the most potent poison known. The lethal dose in an adult is approx. 3x10 mg. The toxin blocks exo-cytosis of ACh in motor (and also parasympathetic) nerve endings. Death is caused by paralysis of respiratory muscles. Injected intramuscularly at minuscule dosage, botulinum toxin type A is used to treat blepharospasm, strabismus, achalasia of the lower esophageal sphincter, and spastic aphonia. 

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. 

Kessler KR and Benecke R. Botulinum toxin From poison to remedy. Neurotoxicol 1997 18 ... 

O Sullivan G, Mohammed N, Foran P, Lawrence G, Dolly O (1999) Rescue of exocytosis in botulinum toxin A-poisoned chromaffin cells by expression of cleavage-resistant SNAP-25. Identification of the minimal essential C-terminal residues. J Biol Chem 274 36897-904 Oberg SG, Kelly RB (1976) The mechanism of beta-bungarotoxin action. I. modification of transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction. J Neurobiol 7 129 11 Ohishi I, Sugii S, Sakaguchi G (1977) Oral toxicities of Clostridium botulinum toxins in response to molecular size. Infect Immun 16 107-9... 

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is among the most lethal substances known, and it has been estimated that 1-2 ounces of the pure toxin could kill the entire population of the United States. Poisoning of man and animals occurs when food containing the toxin is ingested. The most common source is improperly prepared canned fruits and vegetables or fish products. Although only... 

The form with which most of the public is familiar is foodborne botulism. There are approximately 30 cases of foodborne botulism reported in the United States each year, most of which are related to home processing of foods. The botulinum toxin produced by C. botulinum is actually a group of distinct toxins with similar paralytic effects on the neurologic system. Botulinum toxin is the most poisonous substance known to mankind less than one microgram is a fatal dose for an adult (Arnon et al., 2001). 

Botulinum toxin is extremely poisonous to humans. Coats, gloves, face shields, and protective cabinets are recommended for handling botulism specimens. Ideally, laboratory personnel should be vaccinated with C. botulinum antitoxin. Universal precautions should be used when caring for patients suspected of botulism. Isolation is not necessary but droplet precautions should be instituted (Arnon et al., 2001). 

Chemicals come in all shapes and sizes and derive from a variety of sources. While to many people the words chemical and indeed poison are synonymous with man-made things such as dioxin, organo-phosphates, pesticides, and nerve gas, there are many, many other chemicals that occur naturally These may be produced by plants, for example belladonna in deadly nightshade, and ricin in the castor bean, or bacteria, for example botulinum toxin. Various animals such as snakes and spiders produce toxic venoms, and some poisons occur naturally in the ground, like asbestos, cadmium, and lead. 

Worldwide, sporadic cases and hmited outbreaks of botulism can occur when food and food products are prepared or preserved by improper methods that do not destroy the spores of Clostridium botulinum and permit the formation of botulinum toxin. In industrially developed countries, the case fatality rate of food-borne botulism is 5-10%. Person-to-person transmission of botulism is not known. Botulinum toxin is the most poisonous substance known and poses a major bioweapon threat. In addition to the clinical forms of natural botulism (food-borne, wound, and intestinal), there is a fourth, man-made form of inhalational botulism that results from aerosolized botulinum toxin. 

Tetanus toxin poisoning produces tetanus, i.e. muscle contractions resulting in spastic paralysis. In contrast, Botulinum neurotoxins cause botulism, which is characterized by flaccid paralysis. This difference reflects differences in the anatomical level of action of these toxins. TeTx acts primarily on the CNS where it blocks exocytosis from inhibitory glycinergic synapses in the spinal cord. Loss of inhibitory control results in motoneuron firing. BoNTs act primarily in the periphery where they inhibit acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junctions. 

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