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| __NOTOC__
| | #REDIRECT[[Clostridium botulinum]] |
| {{Botulism}}
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| {{CMG}}
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| ==Overview==
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| ''[[Clostridium botulinum]]'' is found in soil and untreated [[water]] throughout the world. It produces [[spores]] that survive in improperly preserved or canned food, where they produce [[toxin]]. When eaten, even tiny amounts of this [[toxin]] can lead to severe [[poisoning]]. The foods most commonly contaminated are home-canned vegetables, cured pork and ham, smoked or raw fish, and honey or corn syrup. Botulism may also occur if the [[organism]] enters open wounds and produces toxin there.
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| Infant botulism occurs when living [[bacteria]] or its [[spores]] are eaten and grow within the baby's [[gastrointestinal tract]]. The most common cause of infant botulism is eating honey or corn syrup. ''Clostridium botulinum'' also occurs normally in the [[stool]] of some [[infants]].
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| It has also been speculated that it is possible to acquire botulism through [[inhalation]]. So far, the only human cases of this occurring have been due to factory workers inadvertently inhaling it. It has been suspected that the botulinun toxin could be aerosolized into a weapon for use in a bioterrorist attack.
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| ==Overview==
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| '''''Clostridium botulinum''''' is a [[bacteria|bacterium]] that produces the [[toxin]] ''[[botulin]]'', the causative agent in [[botulism]].<ref name=Sherris>{{cite book | author = Ryan KJ; Ray CG (editors) | title = Sherris Medical Microbiology | edition = 4th ed. | publisher = McGraw Hill | year = 2004 | id = ISBN 0838585299 }}</ref> It is included in the genus ''[[Clostridium]]'', a major group of [[Gram-positive]] forms. ''C. botulinum'' was first recognized and isolated in 1896 by Emile van Ermengem and is commonly found in soil.
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| These rod-shaped organisms grow best in [[Anaerobic organism|low-oxygen]] conditions. They form [[Endospore|spores]] that allow them to survive in a dormant state until exposed to conditions that can support their growth.<ref name=Brock>{{cite book | author = Madigan M; Martinko J (editors). | title = Brock Biology of Microorganisms | edition = 11th ed. | publisher = Prentice Hall | year = 2005 | id = ISBN 0131443291 }}</ref>
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| == Subtypes ==
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| Each of the seven subtypes of ''C. botulinum'' produces a different [[botulin toxin]].<ref name=Baron>{{cite book | author = Wells CL, Wilkins TD | title = Botulism and ''Clostridium botulinum'' ''in:'' Baron's Medical Microbiology ''(Baron S ''et al'', eds.)| edition = 4th ed. | publisher = Univ of Texas Medical Branch | year = 1996 | id = [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=mmed.section.1108 (via NCBI Bookshelf)] ISBN 0-9631172-1-1 }}</ref> These are labeled with letters and are called ''A'' to ''G'' types. Types ''C'' and ''D'' are not human pathogens. A "mouse protection" test determines the type of ''C. botulinum'' present using [[monoclonal antibody|monoclonal antibodies]].
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| In the United States, outbreaks are primarily due to types ''A'' or ''B'', which are found in soil, or type ''E'', which is found in fish. Optimum temperature for types ''A'' and ''B'' is 35-40 °C. Minimum [[pH]] is 4.6. It takes 25 min at 100 °C to kill these types. Optimum temperature for type ''E'' is 18-25 °C. Minimum pH is 5.0. It takes about 0.1 minute at 100 °C to kill type ''E'' ''C. botulinum''.
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| ''C. botulinum'' strains that do not produce a botulin toxin are referred to as ''Clostridium sporogenes''<ref>Judicial Commission of the International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology (1999) Rejection of ''Clostridium putrificum'' and conservation of ''Clostridium botulinum'' and ''Clostridium sporogenes'' Opinion 69. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology. 49, 339.</ref>. The species are otherwise phylogenetically indistinguishable, and ''C. sporogenes'' is often used as a model for the toxic subtypes.
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| ''Clostridium botulinum'' is also used to prepare [[Botox]], used to selectively paralyze muscles to temporarily relieve wrinkles. It has other "[[off-label]]" medical purposes, such as treating severe facial pain, such as that caused by [[trigeminal neuralgia]].
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| [[Botulin toxin]] produced by ''Clostridium botulinum'' is often believed to be a potential bioweapon as it is so potent that it takes less than 1 microgram to kill a person, a drop could kill 100,000 people, and 1 pound of it can kill the entire human population, though contact is uncommon.
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| Clostridium botulinum is a soil bacterium. The spores can survive in most environments and are very hard to kill. They can survive the temperature of boiling water at sea level, thus many foods are canned with a pressurized boil that achieves an even higher temperature, sufficient to kill the spores.
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| Growth of the bacterium can be prevented by high acidity, high ratio of dissolved sugar, high levels of oxygen, or very low levels of moisture. For example in a low acid, canned vegetable such as green beans that are not heated hot enough to kill the spores (ie. a pressurized environment) may provide an oxygen free medium for the spores to grow and produce the toxin. On the other hand, tomatoes or tomato sauce are sufficiently acidic to prevent growth; even if the spores are present, they pose no danger to the consumer. Honey, corn syrup, and other sweeteners may contain spores but the spores cannot grow in a highly concentrated sugar solution; however, when a sweetener is diluted in the low oxygen, low acid digestive system of an infant, the spores can grow and produce toxin. As soon as infants begin eating solid food, the digestive juices become too acidic for the bacterium to grow.
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| ==External links==
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| *[http://pathema.tigr.org/tigr-scripts/Clostridium/PathemaHomePage.cgi Pathema-''Clostridium'' Resource]
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist|2}}
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