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The Veterinary Clinics of North... Apr 1997Equine botulism is being recognized with increasing frequency by veterinarians throughout North America. Muscular weakness and dysphagia that progress during a period of... (Review)
Review
Equine botulism is being recognized with increasing frequency by veterinarians throughout North America. Muscular weakness and dysphagia that progress during a period of 1 to 4 days, in the absence of laboratory derangements that indicate the presence of systemic disease, are suggestive of botulism. A tentative diagnosis usually is based on the presence of the following findings on physical examination: delayed pupillary light response, mydriasis, ptosis, generalized weakness, decreased tail tone, and slow prehension of feed. Definitive diagnosis requires detection of botulinum toxin in plasma, serum, gastrointestinal contents, or body tissues. Early treatment with antitoxin generally results in a favorable outcome. Botulism in foals and adult horses can be prevented by vaccination.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antitoxins; Bacterial Vaccines; Botulinum Toxins; Botulism; Clostridium botulinum; Diagnosis, Differential; Horse Diseases; Horses; Prognosis
PubMed: 9106347
DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30259-6 -
California Medicine Jan 1964
Topics: Botulism; Humans
PubMed: 14104143
DOI: No ID Found -
British Medical Journal Dec 1957
Topics: Botulism; Humans
PubMed: 13489285
DOI: No ID Found -
MBio Jan 2015The rapidly growing number of botulinum neurotoxin sequences poses the problem of the possible evolutionary significance of the variability of these superpotent... (Review)
Review
The rapidly growing number of botulinum neurotoxin sequences poses the problem of the possible evolutionary significance of the variability of these superpotent neurotoxins for toxin-producing Clostridium species. To progress in the understanding of this remarkable phenomenon, we suggest that researchers should (i) abandon an anthropocentric view of these neurotoxins as human botulism-causing agents or as human therapeutics, (ii) begin to investigate in depth the role of botulinum neurotoxins in animal botulism in the wilderness, and (iii) devote large efforts to next-generation sequencing of soil samples to identify novel botulinum neurotoxins. In order to compare the fitness of the different toxins, we suggest that assays of all the steps from toxin production to animal death should be performed.
Topics: Animals; Botulism; Clostridium; Humans; Neurotoxins
PubMed: 25564463
DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02131-14 -
Toxins Dec 2022Botulism is a low incidence but potentially fatal infectious disease caused by neurotoxins produced mainly by . There are different routes of acquisition, food-borne and...
BACKGROUND
Botulism is a low incidence but potentially fatal infectious disease caused by neurotoxins produced mainly by . There are different routes of acquisition, food-borne and infant/intestinal being the most frequent presentation, and antitoxin is the treatment of choice in all cases. In Spain, botulism is under surveillance, and case reporting is mandatory.
METHODS
This retrospective study attempts to provide a more complete picture of the epidemiology of botulism in Spain from 1997 to 2019 and an assessment of the treatment, including the relationship between a delay in antitoxin administration and the length of hospitalization using the Cox proportional hazards test and Kruskal-Wallis test, and an approach to the frequency of adverse events, issues for which no previous national data have been published.
RESULTS
Eight of the 44 outbreaks were associated with contaminated commercial foods involving ≤7 cases/outbreak; preserved vegetables were the main source of infection, followed by fish products; early antitoxin administration significantly reduces the hospital stay, and adverse reactions to the antitoxin affect around 3% of treated cases.
Topics: Animals; Botulism; Antitoxins; Retrospective Studies; Spain; Clostridium botulinum; Botulinum Antitoxin
PubMed: 36668823
DOI: 10.3390/toxins15010002 -
Open Veterinary Journal 2022One of the most common diseases in free-range ducks in the Mekong Delta is botulism. Botulism is a poultry disease caused by botulinum exotoxin of Clostridium botulinum.
BACKGROUND
One of the most common diseases in free-range ducks in the Mekong Delta is botulism. Botulism is a poultry disease caused by botulinum exotoxin of Clostridium botulinum.
AIM
To evaluate the prevalence of botulism in free-range ducks in the Mekong Delta and the risk of infection by determining the presence of C. botulinum in the farming environment.
METHODS
Research was carried out on 200 duck flocks with 187,050 individuals raised freely in the fields in the provinces of the Mekong Delta, including An Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang, and Kien Giang. The ducks were diagnosed with botulism based on clinical symptoms. To demonstrate the presence of botulinum neurotoxins and identify serotype, samples of serum and/or gut were analyzed by mouse bioassay. Samples of soil (n = 600), water (n = 600), crabs (n = 216), and snails (n = 400) were taken from the grazing regions for C. botulinum analysis by PCR assay.
RESULTS
There were 1.19% (2,235/187,050) free-range ducks in the Mekong Delta positive for botulism. Clinical symptoms of botulism including limberneck, drooping eyelids-enlarged pupils, and leg paralysis were prevalent across free-range ducks, with the frequency of 87.92% (1,965/2,235), 90.07% (2,013/2,235), and 79.78% (1,783/2,235), respectively. The lesions of pulmonary edema-hemorrhage, hemorrhagic liver, and gas-producing intestines were common, accounting for 86.19% (362/420), 95.48% (401/420), and 92.14% (387/420), respectively. Botulin toxin type C was found in a considerable number of serum samples, accounting for 40.48% (51/126). Meanwhile, the percentage of serum samples containing botulin toxin types E and D was 28.57% (36/126) and 25.40% (32/126), respectively. Clostridium botulinum was detected in the farming environment specifically 17.5% (105/600) in soil, 19.67% (118/600) in water, 8.33% (18/216) in crabs, and 3.00% (12/400) in snails.
CONCLUSION
The free-range ducks in the Mekong Delta were at high risk of botulism because of the latent presence of C. botulinum in the farming environment.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Botulism; Ducks; Vietnam; Botulinum Toxins; Clostridium botulinum; Agriculture; Soil
PubMed: 36589392
DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2022.v12.i5.7 -
Toxins Dec 2019Botulism is a rare but severe neurological disease in man and animals that is caused by botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) produced by and atypical strains from other and... (Review)
Review
Botulism is a rare but severe neurological disease in man and animals that is caused by botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) produced by and atypical strains from other and non- species. BoNTs are divided into more than seven toxinotypes based on neutralization with specific corresponding antisera, and each toxinotype is subdivided into subtypes according to amino acid sequence variations. Animal species show variable sensitivity to the different BoNT toxinotypes. Thereby, naturally acquired animal botulism is mainly due to BoNT/C, D and the mosaic variants CD and DC, BoNT/CD being more prevalent in birds and BoNT/DC in cattle, whereas human botulism is more frequently in the types A, B and E, and to a lower extent, F. Botulism is not a contagious disease, since there is no direct transmission from diseased animals or man to a healthy subject. Botulism occurs via the environment, notably from food contaminated with spores and preserved in conditions favorable for growth and toxin production. The high prevalence of botulism types C, D and variants DC and CD in farmed and wild birds, and to a lower extent in cattle, raises the risk of transmission to human beings. However, human botulism is much rarer than animal botulism, and botulism types C and D are exceptional in humans. Only 15 cases or suspected cases of botulism type C and one outbreak of botulism type D have been reported in humans to date. In contrast, animal healthy carriers of group II, such as type E in fish of the northern hemisphere, and B4 in pigs, represent a more prevalent risk of botulism transmission to human subjects. Less common botulism types in animals but at risk of transmission to humans, can sporadically be observed, such as botulism type E in farmed chickens in France (1998-2002), botulism type B in cattle in The Netherlands (1977-1979), botulism types A and B in horses, or botulism type A in dairy cows (Egypt, 1976). In most cases, human and animal botulisms have distinct origins, and cross transmissions between animals and human beings are rather rare, accidental events. But, due to the severity of this disease, human and animal botulism requires a careful surveillance.
Topics: Animals; Botulism; Clostridium botulinum; Food Microbiology; Foodborne Diseases; Humans; Public Health; Zoonoses
PubMed: 31905908
DOI: 10.3390/toxins12010017 -
Journal of Infection in Developing... May 2009Botulism is a severe neuroparalytic disease caused by Clostridium botulinum toxins. Although the disease is uncommon it is a cause of great concern due to its high rate... (Review)
Review
Botulism is a severe neuroparalytic disease caused by Clostridium botulinum toxins. Although the disease is uncommon it is a cause of great concern due to its high rate of mortality. Food-borne outbreaks of botulism occur worldwide and require immediate public health attention and acute care resources. Analysis of outbreaks showed that the food products most often involved were fermented fish products in Alaska; home-canned food, oil preservation and restaurant sauce in the rest of the United States (US) and in London and; and home-canned vegetables, airtight packed food with inappropriate refrigeration, and aerosols in Argentina. The diagnosis is based only on clinical findings matching the disease and previous exposure to suspicious food. Botulism must be immediately identified as even one case suggests the start of an epidemic and should be treated as a public health emergency. Therefore, the purpose of the following review is to recognize the risks associated with the consumption of potentially dangerous foods, and to encourage prevention by seeking to make all public health professionals aware of the dangers of this potentially lethal disease.
Topics: Argentina; Botulism; Clostridium botulinum; Food Microbiology; Foodborne Diseases; Humans
PubMed: 19759486
DOI: 10.3855/jidc.120 -
Toxins Nov 2018Botulism, caused by exposure to one or more of the eight serotypes of botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) (BoNT/A through H), is often fatal without rapid treatment. [...].
Botulism, caused by exposure to one or more of the eight serotypes of botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) (BoNT/A through H), is often fatal without rapid treatment. [...].
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Bacterial Vaccines; Botulinum Toxins; Botulism; Humans; Neurotoxins
PubMed: 30486254
DOI: 10.3390/toxins10120495 -
Clinical and Vaccine Immunology : CVI Dec 2017Select agents (SA) pose unique challenges for licensing vaccines and therapies. In the case of toxin-mediated diseases, HHS assigns guidelines for SA use, oversees... (Review)
Review
Select agents (SA) pose unique challenges for licensing vaccines and therapies. In the case of toxin-mediated diseases, HHS assigns guidelines for SA use, oversees vaccine and therapy development, and approves animal models and approaches to identify mechanisms for toxin neutralization. In this commentary, we discuss next-generation vaccines and therapies against ricin toxin and botulinum toxin, which are regulated SA toxins that utilize structure-based approaches for countermeasures to guide rapid response to future biothreats.
Topics: Animals; Botulinum Toxins; Botulism; Crystallography, X-Ray; Humans; Models, Molecular; Poisoning; Protein Conformation; Ricin; Vaccines
PubMed: 29046310
DOI: 10.1128/CVI.00275-17