Powerpoint 6: Clostridium Botulism

Question 1

What type of infection or other can it cause?

Answer 1

• intoxication in adults
• infant toxico-infection: ingestion and proliferation of the organism, internal production of the toxin
• wound botulism: due to anaerobic environment of a deep wound

Question 2

Can it be used for bioterrorism?

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

Are all Clostridium botulinum strains toxic?

Answer 3

Yes

The non-toxic forms , genetically related are different species: C. sporogenes, C.subterminale

Question 4

What type of toxin is the BoNT?

the neurotoxin

Answer 4

A-B type

-inactive when produced

Question 5

What is the non-proteolytic Cb

Answer 5

The toxin is activated by being cleaved by the host stomach acid

Question 6

What is the proteolytic Cb

Answer 6

The bacteria produces the protease that activates the toxin

Question 7

How are the toxins spread?

Answer 7

Go from gut to the blood to the peripheral nerves

Question 8

What is acetylcholine responsible for?

Answer 8

Muscle contractions

Question 9

How does the axon terminal connect to the muscle cells and release acetylcholine?

Answer 9

through SNARE proteins

Question 10

How does BoNT act?

Answer 10

As a protease and cleaves the SNARE proteins

Question 11

What does BoNT cause?

Answer 11

Flaccid paralysis

Question 12

Are the BoNT toxins structurally similar yet immunologically distinct?
How are they distinguished?

Answer 12

yes

given a letter A to G

Question 13

Into how many groups where Clostridium botulinum divided? DO they correlate with the type of toxin they each produce?

Answer 13

4 groups

no

Question 14

What are the strains associated with group 1?

Answer 14

• C botulinum A
• Proteolytic strains of B and F
• infects humans

Question 15

What are the strains associated with group 2?

Answer 15

• C. Botulinum E

- Non-proteolytic strains B and F

Question 16

What are the strains associated with group 3?

Answer 16

-C. Botulinum C and D

Question 17

What are the strains associated with group 4?

Answer 17

-C. Botulinum G

Question 18

How do you detect for C. Botulinum Toxin?

Answer 18

Pour solution into 3 tubes:
-no treatment tube
-tube boiled for 10 minutes 
-trypsin added to the tube
2/2 Mice must have pinched waist, labored breathing or 
die for test to be considered positive

Question 19

How do you distinguish from antiserum A, B, and F

Answer 19

A and F toxins kill the mouse

B it survives

Question 20

Apart from proteolytic capacity, how are group 1 and group 2 different?

Answer 20

Group 1: highly thermoresistant spores (37 opt)
Group 2: moderately resistant spores (25 opt)

Note: both also produce lipase

Question 21

How is the chromosome?

Answer 21

1 circular chromosome

Question 22

Do they have plasmids?

Answer 22

Yes

Question 23

Where is the BoNT carried?

Answer 23

chromosome or plasmid

Question 24

Are spores consumed daily and where are they found?

Answer 24

Yes, found in soil

Question 25

How does the Cb survive?

Answer 25

Secretes many proteolytic enzymes and transports the degarded agents into the cell.

Question 26

How many genes for transport have been identified?

Answer 26

300

Question 27

Can it have waterfowl outbreaks affecting many species including birds?

Answer 27

Yes

Question 28

Is fever present in infant bot?

Answer 28

No

Question 29

Wound bot

Answer 29

-concentration makes it harmful ; diluted doses can be therapeutic for muscle tension disorder

Question 30

Is Cb consumed by adults routinely?

Answer 30

Yes, the healthy gut makes adult resistant to colonization

Question 31

How can adults become sick?

Answer 31

Ingesting the BoNT toxin
It is found in foods in which bacteroa survives if:
-anaerobic environment
-pH more than 4