An experimental system is described for the detection and quantitative estimation of type A botulinum toxin by electroimmunodiffusion. The method is shown to be rapid, specific, and quantitative. As little as 14 mouse LD(50) per 0.1 ml of type A toxin was detected within 2 hr. When applied to experimentally contaminated foods such as canned tuna, pumpkin, spinach, green beans, and sausage, the ...

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) cause botulism and are the deadliest naturally-occurring substances known to humans. BoNTs have been classified as one of the category A agents by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicating their potential use as bioweapons. To counter bio-threat and naturally-occurring botulism cases, well-tolerated antibodies by humans that neutralize BoNTs are re...

The pathogenesis of type E botulism is discussed as an aspect of the physicochemical and biological properties of 12S toxins (prototoxin and trypsin-activated 12S toxin) and the Ealpha and Ebeta components of each 12S toxin. A molecular weight of 350,000 was determined for each 12S toxin and 150,000 for Ealpha and Ebeta. Owing to the structure comprising the subunits Ealpha and Ebeta, 12S toxin...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this pilot study was to examine changes in different aspects of impairment, including spasticity in the upper limbs, of hemiplegic children following botulinum toxin type A intervention. Progress was assessed using standard clinical measurements and a robotic device. DESIGN Pre-post multiple baseline. SUBJECTS Six children with hemiplegia. METHODS Botulinium toxin typ...

OBJECTIVE To perform a Cochrane Systematic Review of benefits and harms of botulinum toxin for shoulder pain. METHODS We included clinical trials of adults with shoulder pain (population), comparing botulinum toxin (intervention) to placebo or other therapies (comparison), and reporting benefits or harms (outcomes). We calculated relative risk (RR) for categorical outcomes and mean difference...

Botulinum toxin (BTA) is a bacterial-derived extract that can inhibit muscle contraction, acting directly on the absorption of acetylcholine. Thanks to this property, botulinum has been used in aesthetic and general medicine for several years. Nowadays, use being deepened address problem bruxism. In scoping review, results studies literature last 10 years were analyzed. Indeed, 12 reports (foun...

We describe a strategy to identify the clusters of genes encoding components of the botulinum toxin type A (boNT/A) complexes in 57 strains of Clostridium botulinum types A, Ab, and A(B) isolated in Italy and in the United States from different sources. Specifically, we combined the results of PCR for detecting the ha33 and/or p47 genes with those of boNT/A PCR-restriction fragment length polym...

Clostridium botulinum has long been recognized as an etiological agent of food borne botulism and has been reported as an important food safety hazard. The aim of this study was to obtain information about C. botulinum distribution in north areas sediments of Iran in order to ascertain the risks associated with consumption and processing of fish from these waters. Two hundred and seventy sample...

Salivary duct injury can be idiopathic, iatrogenic, or post-trauma and may result in sialocele or fistula. Most injuries regress spontaneously and botulinum toxin A is one of several therapeutic possibilities. We report a case of iatrogenic injury to the parotid duct after Mohs' micographic surgery for a squamous cell carcinoma excision in the left jaw region, treated by injection of botulinum ...

All tested proteolytic Clostridium botulinum type A, B, and F strains and certain non-proteolytic B and F cultures produced a protease having trypsin-like substrate specificity; none of the tested type E (non-proteolytic) strains produced the enzyme. Progenitor toxin (toxic form whose specific toxicity is increased by treatment with trypsin) was found in culture fluid concentrates of all strain...