This document describes the characteristics of botulinum toxins.
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 by means of food poisoning. Humans are not protected from botulinum toxins and, because of their relative ease of production and other characteristics, these toxins are likely biological warfare agents. C botulinum and C tetani are spore forming, anaerobic bacteria found worldwide in soil. In food poisoning, the symptoms appear several hours to 1 or 2 days after contaminated food is consumed. The earliest symptoms are difficult to associate with poisoning and, depending on their severity might result in blurred vision, ptosis, dysphagia, dysarthria, and apparent muscle weakness. Unlike other threat toxins, botulinum neurotoxin appears to cause the same disease after inhalation, oral ingestion, or injection. Death results from skeletal muscle paralysis and resultant ventilatory failure. The best diagnostic sample is from swabs taken from the nasal mucosa within 24 hours after inhalational exposures. Prophylactic administration of a licensed pentavalent vaccine fully protects laboratory animals from all routes of challenge. Passive immunotherapy with investigational hyperimmune plasma also prevents illness if it is administered before the onset of clinical intoxication. 35 references