Clostridium botulinum Botulism toxin

Harris JB, Grubb BD, Maltin CA, Dixon R (2000) The neurotoxicity of the venom phospholipases A(2), notexin and taipoxin. Exp Neurol 161 517-26 Haug G, Wilde C, Leemhuis J, Meyer DK, Aktories K et al. (2003) Cellular uptake of Clostridium botulinum C2 toxin membrane translocation of a fusion toxin requires unfolding of its dihydrofolate reductase domain. Biochemistry 42 15284-91 Hauschild A (1993) Epidemiology of human foodborne botulism. In Hauschild A, Dodds KL (eds) Clostridium botulinum ecology and control in foods. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, pp 69-104... 

Ohishi I, DasGupta BR (1987) Moleculare structure and biological activities of Clostridium botulinum C2 toxin. In Avian Botulism, (Ekiund MW, Dowell VR., eds) 223-47 Springfield Thomas. 

Several toxic proteins act as neurotoxins by disrupting the activity of synapses. (A synapse is a junction between two neurons or between a neuron and a muscle cell.) The pain, tremors, and irritability that result from black widow spider bites are caused by a-latrotoxin (125,000 D). This molecule, a single polypeptide, stimulates a massive release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). In contrast, ACh release is inhibited by botulinum toxin, a mixture of several proteins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botulism, a malady most commonly caused by eating contaminated canned food, is characterized by vomiting, dizziness, and sometimes paralysis and death. A related species,... 

A. Characteristics. Botulism is caused by intoxication with any of the seven distinct neurotoxins produced by the bacillus Clostridium botulinum. The toxins are proteins that bind to the presynaptic membrane of neurons at peripheral cholinergic synapses to prevent release of acetylcholine and block neurotransmi ssion. 

Botulism is a serious neuroparalytic illness that affects humans and various domestic and wild animal and avian species. It is due to the neurotoxic effect of a toxin produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Botulism is most commonly known as a foodbome intoxication of humans it also can result from growth of the toxigenic organism in a wound or, in the case of infant botulism, from colonization of the intestinal tract. 

Botulism is a disease caused by ingestion of foods contaminated with Clostridium botulinum (food-borne botulism) or, very rarely, by wound infection (wound botulism) or colonization of the intestinal tract with Clostridium botulinum (infant botulism). The toxins block the release of acetylcholine. Botulism is characterized by generalized muscular weakness, which first affects eye and throat muscles and later extends to all skeletal muscles. Flaccid paralysis can lead to respiratory failure. 

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. 

Tabita, K., Sakaguchi, S., Kozaki, S. and Sakaguchi, G., Distinction between Clostridium botulinum type A strains associated with food-bome botulism and those with infant botulism in Japan in intraintestinal toxin production in infant mice and some other properties, FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 63, 2-3, 251-256,1999. 

Botulism Clostridium botulinum botulinum The bacterium is the cause of a fatal form of food poisoning due to release of its toxin. The toxin also blocks release of acetylchohne leading to paralysis of some muscles... 

Botulism antitoxin Horse Specificity against toxins of t5 pe A, B or E Clostridium botulinum... 

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. 

Botulism A (Clostridium botulinum toxin) Bacteria— food (particularly improperly canned foods), wound, and infantile 1-5 days No Standard Descending muscle paralysis, ptosis (drooping upper eyelids), blurred vision/ diplopia Fatal about 4-6 days nonfatal several months Aggressive resp support, supportive care trivalent and heptavalent antitoxin... 

Middlebrook JL, Brown JE (1995) Immunodiagnosis and immunotherapy of tetanus and botulinum neurotoxins. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 195 89-122 Midura TF, Amon SS (1976) Infant botulism, identification of Clostridium botulinum and its toxins in faeces. Lancet 2 934-6... 

Botulism is a neuroparalytic, primarily foodborne illness first described in 1897 (GDC, 1998). The disease is caused by a toxin produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Although botulism is rare, it can kill rapidly and foodborne botulism is a public health emergency carrying significant risk for widespread disease and death, as potentially preventable deaths may occur if the source of botulism is not discovered and eliminated. There are classically four major types of botulism foodborne botulism, infantile botulism, wound botulism, and intestinal botulism. 

Botulism toxins can be used as a terrorist weapon (Osborne et al, 2007 Adler et al, 2008). This group of toxins can easily be produced at low cost. Exposures to botulism toxins are oral, and these toxins have been formed in feedstuffs, or in vivo from toxin production by Clostridium botulinum growing in the gut or wounds (Critchley, 1991 Bohnel et al, 2001). The production of botulism toxin is considered to be inexpensive and requires a low level of technology. 

Botulism toxins can be produced and incorporated into ingredients used in feedstuffs. The use of dead rodents or other animals can serve as a substrate for Clostridium botulinum, providing anaerobic conditions. Contamination of feedstuffs with the carcasses of dead mice or other small animals could be a method of disseminating botulism toxins. For further details of botuhsm toxins, readers are referred to in Chapter 30. 

Bacteria are both harmful and beneficial. They degrade the waste-products produced by society. They are used in wastewater treatment plants— thus, they are beneficial. On the other hand, they can also be pathogenic. The bacteria. Salmonella typhosa, causes typhoid fever Shigella flexneri causes bacillary dysentery. Clostridium tetani excretes toxins producing tetanus. Clostridium botulinum excretes the toxin causing botulism. Corynebacterium diphtheriae is the agent for diphtheria. 

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. 

Dickson EC, Shevky R (1923) Botulism, studies on the manner in which the toxin of Clostridium botulinum acts upon the body. I. The effect upon the autonomic nervous system. J. Exp. Med. 37 711 -31... 

Ingestion is the primary exposure pathway for botulism. Wound botulism occurs when the bacterium encounters devitalized human tissue, synthesizes toxin, and thus causes disease. Intestinal (adult and infant types) botulism involves ingestion of spores or the live bacterium and, due to impaired intrinsic defenses, the gastrointestinal tract becomes colonized with Clostridium botulinum. In infant type, the mucosal surface of the intestines is susceptible to colonization due to multiple factors including decreased acidity of the stomach and lack of bile of acids, which are natural barriers. In adult-type intestinal botulism, patients have had surgical vagotomy/... 

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