Botulism Resource List

Key Resources for the Practicing Clinician
Images
Diagnosis and Management
Treatment
Botulinum Toxoid
Epidemiology
—Foodborne Botulism
—Wound Botulism
—Infant Botulism
Public Health
Laboratory Issues
Research in Botulism Prevention

Key Resources for the Practicing Clinician

Arnon SS, Schechter R, Inglesby TV, et al. Botulinum toxin as a biological weapon: medical and public health management. JAMA 2001;285(8):1059-81 [Full text]

CDC. Botulism in the United States, 1899-1996. Handbook for epidemiologists, clinicians, and laboratory workers. Atlanta, Ga: CDC, 1998 [Full text]

CDC. Sentinel Laboratory Guidelines for Suspected Agents of Bioterrorism: Botulinum Toxin [Full text]

CDC. Notice to readers: New telephone number to report botulism cases and request antitoxin. MMWR 2003 Aug 15;52(32):774 [Full text]

Dembek ZF, Smith LA, Rusnak JM. Botulinum toxin. In: Dembek ZR, ed. Medical aspects of biological warfare. Chap 16. Washington, DC: Office of the Surgeon General, Borden Institute, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 2007 [Full text]

Shapiro RL, Hatheway C, Swerdlow DL. Botulism in the United States: a clinical and epidemiologic review. Ann Intern Med 1998;129:221-8 [Abstract]

Werner SB, Passaro K, McGee J, et al. Wound botulism in California, 1951-1998: recent epidemic in heroin injectors. Clin Infect Dis 2000;31:1018-24 [Full text]

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Images

Infant botulism, wound botulism, endospores (Public Health Image Library) [Web page]

Seventeen-year-old male with mild botulism (JAMA 2001;285(8):1062 ) [Web page]

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Diagnosis and Management

Arnon SS, Schechter R, Inglesby TV, et al. Botulinum toxin as a biological weapon: medical and public health management. JAMA 2001;285(8):1059-81 [Full text]

Bartlett JC. Infant botulism in adults. N Engl J Med 1986;315(4):254-5

Borodic G. Myasthenic crisis after botulinum toxin. (Letter) Lancet 1998;352:1832

Campbell WW, Swift TR. Differential diagnosis of acute weakness. South Med J 1981;74(11):13715

CDC. Botulism in the United States, 1899-1996. Handbook for epidemiologists, clinicians, and laboratory workers. Atlanta, Ga: CDC, 1998 [Full text]

Cherington M. Clinical spectrum of botulism. Muscle Nerve 1998 Jun;21(6):701-10 [Abstract]

Chia JK, Clark JB, Ryan CA, et al. Botulism in an adult associated with food-borne intestinal infection with Clostridium botulinum. N Engl J Med 1986;315(4):239-41

Felz MW, Davis Smith C, Swift TR. A six-year-old girl with tick paralysis. N Engl J Med 2000;342(2):90-4

Fenicia L, Franciosa G, Pourshaban M, et al. Intestinal toxemia botulism in two young people, caused by Clostridium butyricum type E. Clin Infect Dis 1999;29(6):1381-7 [Full text]

Hughes JM, Blumenthal JR, Merson MH, et al. Clinical features of types A and B food-borne botulism. Ann Intern Med 1981;95:442-5

Johnson R, Clay S, Arnon S. Diagnosis and management of infant botulism. Am J Dis Child 1979;133:586-93

Maselli RA, Bakshi N. American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AAEM) case report 16: botulism. Muscle Nerve 2000 Jul;23(7):1137-44 [Abstract]

Mann J. Prolonged recovery from type A botulism. N Engl J Med 1983;309(24):1523

Mann JM, Martin S, Hoffman R, et al. Patient recovery from type A botulism: morbidity assessment following a large outbreak. Am J Pub Health 1981;71(3):266-9

Merson MH, Dowell VR. Epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory aspects of wound botulism. N Engl J Med 1973;289:1005-10

Schmidt-Nowara WW, Samet JM, Rosario PA. Early and late pulmonary complications of botulism. Arch Intern Med 1983;143:451-6

Shapiro RL, Hatheway C, Swerdlow DL. Botulism in the United States: a clinical and epidemiologic review. Ann Intern Med 1998;129:221-8 [Abstract]

Terranova W, Palumbo JN, Breman JG. Ocular findings in botulism type B. JAMA 1979;241(5):475-7

Wilcox P, Andolfatto G, Fairbarn MS, et al. Long-term follow-up of symptoms, pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and exercise performance after botulism. Am Rev Respir Dis 1989;139:157-63

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Treatment

Black RE, Gunn RA. Hypersensitivity reactions associated with botulinal antitoxin. Am J Med 1980;69:567-70

CDC. Drug Service: General information [Web site]

Franz DR, Pitt LM, Clayton MA, et al. Efficacy of prophylactic and therapeutic administration of antitoxin for inhalation botulism. In: DasGupta BR, ed. Botulism and Tetanus Neurotoxins: Neurotransmission and Biomedical Aspects. New York, NY, Plenum Press; 1993:473-6

Hatheway CL, Snyder JD, Seals JE, et al. Antitoxin levels in botulism patients treated with trivalent equine botulism antitoxin to toxin types A, B, and E. J Infect Dis 1984;150(1):407-12

Tacket CO, Shandera WX, Mann JM, et al. Equine antitoxin use and other factors that predict outcome in type A foodborne botulism. AM J Med 1984;76:794-8

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Botulinum Toxoid

CDC. Drug Service: General information [Web site]

CDC. Laboratory Information > Biosafety > Vaccines [Table]

CDC. Pentavalent (ABCDE) botulinum toxoid. CDC Drug Service. Rev Oct 15, 1999. [Web page]

Siegel LS. Human immune response to botulinum pentavalent (ABCDE) toxoid determined by a neutralization test and by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. J Clin Microbiol 1988;26(11);2341-6

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Epidemiology: Foodborne Botulism

Angulo FJ, Getz J, Taylor JP, et al. A large outbreak of botulism: the hazardous baked potato. J Infect Dis 1998;178(1):172-7 [Abstract]

CDC. Botulism in the United States, 1899-1996. Handbook for epidemiologists, clinicians, and laboratory workers. Atlanta, Ga: CDC, 1998 [Full text]

CDC. Outbreak of botulism type E associated with eating a beached whale: western Alaska, July 2002. MMWR 2003 Jan 17;52(02):24-6 [Full text]

Chou JH, Hwant PH, Malison MD. An outbreak of type A foodborne botulism in Taiwan due to commercially preserved peanuts. Int J Epidemiol 1988;17:899-902

Kudrow DB, Henry KA, Haake DA, et al. Botulism associated with Clostridium botulinum sinusitis after intranasal cocaine abuse. Ann Intern Med 1988;109:984-5

MacDonald KL, Cohen ML, Blake PA. The changing epidemiology of botulism in the United States. Am J Epidemiol 1986;124(6):794-9

MacDonald KL, Spengler RF, Hatheway CL, et al. Type A botulism from sauteed onions: clinical and epidemiologic observations. JAMA 1985;253(9):1275-8

Midura TF, Nygaard GS, Wood RM, et al. Clostridium botulinum type F: isolation from venison jerky. Appl Microbiol 1972;24:165-7

O'Mahony M, Mitchell E, Gilbert RJ, et al. An outbreak of foodborne botulism associated with contaminated hazelnut yoghurt. Epidemiol Infect 1990;104:389-95

Shaffer N, Wainwright RB, Middaugh JP, et al. Botulism among Alaskan Natives: the role of changing food preparation and consumption practices. West J Med 1990;153:390-3

Shapiro RL, Hatheway C, Swerdlow DL. Botulism in the United States: a clinical and epidemiologic review. Ann Intern Med 1998;129:221-8 [Abstract]

Smith LDS. The occurrence of Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani in the soil of the United States. Health Lab Sci 1978;15(12):74-80

Sobel J, Tucker N, McLaughlin J, et al. Foodborne botulism in the United States, 1990-2000. Emerg Infect Dis 2004 Sep;10(9):1606-11 [Full text]

St Louis ME, Peck SHS, Bowering D, et al. Botulism from chopped garlic: delayed recognition of a major outbreak. Ann Intern Med 1988;108:363-8

Telzak EE, Bell EP, Kautter DA, et al. An international outbreak of type E botulism due to uneviscerated fish. J Infect Dis 1990;161:340-2

Townes JM, Cieslak PR, Hatheway CL, et al. An outbreak of type A botulism associated with a commercial cheese sauce. Ann Intern Med 1996;125(7):558-63 [Abstract]

Varma JK, Katsitadze G, Moiscrafishvili M et al. Signs and symptoms predictive of death in patients with foodborne botulism—Republic of Georgia, 1980-2002. Clin Infect Dis 2004 Aug 1;39(3):357-62 [Full text]

Villar RG, Shapiro RL, Busto S, et al. Outbreak of type A botulism and development of a botulism surveillance and antitoxin release system in Argentina. JAMA 1999;281(14):1334-8 [Abstract]

Wainwright RB, Heyward WL, Middaugh JP, et al. Food-borne botulism in Alaska, 1947-1985: epidemiology and clinical findings. J Infect Dis 1988;157(6):1158-62

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Epidemiology: Wound Botulism

MacDonald KL, Rutherford GW, Friedman SM, et al. Botulism and botulism-like illness in chronic drug users. Ann Intern Med 1985;102:616-8

Merson MH, Dowell VR. Epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory aspects of wound botulism. N Engl J Med 1973;289:1005-10

Passaro DJ, Werner SB, McGee J, et al. Wound botulism associated with black tar heroin among injecting drug users. JAMA 1998;279(11):859-63 [Abstract]

Weber JT, Goodpasture HC, Alexander H, et al. Wound botulism in a patient with a tooth abscess: case report and review. Clin Infect Dis 1993 May;16(5):635-9 [Abstract]

Werner SB, Passaro K, McGee J, et al. Wound botulism in California, 1951-1998: recent epidemic in heroin injectors. Clin Infect Dis 2000 Oct 1;31(s5):1018-24 [Full text]

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Epidemiology: Infant Botulism

Arnon SS, Schechter R, Inglesby TV, et al. Botulinum toxin as a biological weapon: medical and public health management. JAMA 2001;285(8):1059-81 [Full text]

Arnon SS, Midura TF, Damus K. Honey and other environmental risk factors for infant botulism. J Pediatr 1979;94:331-6

Aureli P, Fenicia L, Pasolini B, et al. Two cases of type E infant botulism caused by neurotoxigenic Clostridium butyricum in Italy. J Infect Dis 1986;154(2):207-211

CDC. Infant botulism: New York City, 2001-2002. MMWR 2003 Jan 17;52(02);21-4 [Full text]

Schreiner MS, Field E, Ruddy R. Infant botulism: a review of 12 years' experience at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Pediatrics 1991;87:159-65

Spika JS, Shaffer N, Nargrett-Bean, et al. Risk factors for infant botulism in the United States. Am J Dis Child 1989;143:828-32

Wigginton JM, Thill P. Infant botulism: a review of the literature. Clin Pediatr 1993;669-71

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Public Health

Arnon SS, Schechter R, Inglesby TV, et al. Botulinum toxin as a biological weapon: medical and public health management. JAMA 2001;285(8):1059-81 [Full text]

CDC. Medical examiners, coroners, and biologic terrorism: A guidebook for surveillance and case management. MMWR 2004 Jun 11;53(RR08):1-36 [Full text]

Shapiro RL, Hatheway C, Becher J, et al. Botulism surveillance and emergency response: a public health strategy for a global challenge. JAMA 1997;278(5):433-5

Franz DR, Jahrling PB, Fiedlander AM, et al. Clinical recognition and management of patients exposed to biological warfare agents. JAMA 1997;278(5):399-411[Abstract]

Siegel LS. Human immune response to botulinum pentavalent (ABCDE) toxoid determined by a neutralization test and by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. J Clin Microbiol 1988;26(11);2341-6

Zilinskas RA. Iraq's biological weapons: the past as future? JAMA 1997;278:418-24 [Abstract]

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Laboratory Issues

ASM. Sentinel laboratory guidelines for suspected agents of bioterrorism: packing and shipping infectious substances, diagnostic specimens, and biological agents [Web page]

CDC. Biosafety in microbiological and biomedical laboratories (BMBL). Ed 4, Apr 1999. Section VIIA: Bacterial agents: Clostridium botulinum [Full text]

CDC. Facts about the Laboratory Response Network [Web page]

CDC. Laboratory Information > Biosafety > Vaccines [Table]

CDC. Laboratory security and emergency response guidance for laboratories working with select agents. MMWR 2002 Dec 6;51(RR-19):1-6 [Full text]

CDC. Level A laboratory guidelines for identification of Clostridium botulinum toxin [Full text]

CDC. Select Agent Program [Web page]

CDC. Specimen selection table [Full text]

Craven KE, Ferreira JL, Harrison MA, et al. Specific detection of Clostridium botulinum types A, B, E, and F using the polymerase chain reaction. J AOAC Int 2002 Sep-Oct;85(5):1025-8 [Abstract]

Dahlenborg M, Borch E, Radstrom P. Development of a combined selection and enrichment PCR procedure for Clostridium botulinum Types B, E, and F and its use to determine prevalence in fecal samples from slaughtered pigs. Appl Environ Microbiol 2001; 67(10):4781-8 [Full text]

Dezfulian M, Bartlett JG. Identification of toxigenic Clostridium botulinum type E by enzyme immunoassay. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 1991;14(1):11-5 [Abstract]

DHHS. 42 CFR Part 73: Possession, use, and transfer of select agents and toxins. Interim Final Rule. Fed Reg 2002 Dec 13;240(67):76885-905 [Full text]

Ferreira JL, Eliasberg SJ, Harrison MA, et al. Detection of preformed type A botulinal toxin in hash brown potatoes by using the mouse bioasssay and a modified ELISA test. J AOAC Int 2001;84(5):1460-4 [Abstract]

Ferreira JL, Maslanka S, Johnson E, et al. Detection of botulinal neurotoxins A, B, E, and F by amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: collaborative study. J AOAC Int 2003 Mar-Apr;86(2):314-31 [Abstract

Franciosa G, Ferreira JL, Hatheway CL. Detection of type A, B, and E botulism neurotoxin genes in Clostridium botulinum and other Clostridium species by PCR: evidence of unexpressed type B toxin genes in type A toxigenic organisms. J Clin Microbiol 1994;32(8):1911-7 [Abstract]

Green J, Spear H, Brinson RR. Human botulism (type F)—a rare type. Am J Med 1983;75:893-5

Hall JD, McCroskey LM, Pincomb BJ, et al. Isolation of an organism resembling Clostridium barati which produces type F botulinal toxin from an infant with botulism. J Clin Microbiol 1985;21(4):654-5

Hatheway CL, Johnson EA. Clostridium: the spore-bearing anaerobes. In: Collier L, Ballows A, Sussman M, eds. Topley & Wilson’s microbiology and microbial infections. Ed 9. New York, NY: Oxford University Press,1998:731-82

Lacy DB, Tepp W, Cohen AC, et al. Crystal structure of botulinum neurotoxin type A and implications for toxicity. Nat Struct Biol 1998; 5(10):898-902 [Abstract]

Lindstrom M, Keto R, Markkula A, et al. Multiplex PCR assay for detection and identification of Clostridium botulinum types A, B, E, and F in food and fecal material. Appl Environ Microbiol 2001; 67(12):5694-9 [Abstract]

McCroskey LM, Hatheway CL. Laboratory findings in four cases of adult botulism suggest colonization of the intestinal tract. J Clin Microbiol 1988;26:1052-4

Middlebrook JL, Franz DR. Botulinum toxin. In: Sidell FR, Takafuji ET, Franz DR, eds. Medical aspects of chemical and biological warfare. Washington, DC: Office of the Surgeon General, 1997:643-54

Peruski AH, Johnson LH 3rd, Peruski LF Jr. Rapid and sensitive detection of biological warfare agents using time-resolved fluorescence assays. J Immunol Methods 2002 May 1;263(1-2):35-41 [Abstract]

Schiavo G, Rossetto O, Montecucco C. Clostridial neurotoxins as tools to investigate the molecular events of neurotransmitter release. Semin Cell Biol 1994; 5(4):221-9 [Abstract]

Schiavo G, Rossetto O, Tonello F, et al. Intracellular targets and metalloprotease activity of tetanus and botulism neurotoxins. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 1995;195:257-74

Sewell DL. Laboratory safety practices associated with potential agents of biocrime or bioterrorism. J Clin Microbiol 2003 Jul;41(7):2801-9 [Abstract]

Skinner GE, Gendel SM, Fingerhut GA, et al. Differentiation between types and strains of Clostridium botulinum by riboprinting. J Food Prot 2000;63(10):1347-52 [Abstract]

Smith LDS, Sugiyama H. Botulism: the organism, its toxins, the disease. Ed 2. Springfield, Ill: CC Thomas, 1988

Sneath PH, Mair NS, Sharpe ME, and Holt JG, eds. Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology, Vol 2. Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins, 1986

Solomon HM, Lilly T Jr. Clostridium botulinum. In: Jackson GH, Merker RI, Bandler R, project coordinators. Bacteriological analytical manual online. Washington DC: FDA CFSAN, Jan 2001 [Full text]

Sonnabend O, Sonnabend W, Heinzle R et al. Isolation of Clostridium botulinum type G and identification of type G botulinal toxin in humans: report of five sudden unexpected deaths. J Infect Dis 1981;143(1):22-7

Wictome M, Newton KA, Jameson K, et al. Novel assays for the detection of botulinum toxins in foods. Dev Biol Stand 1999; 101:141-5 [Abstract]

Research in Botulism Research

Nowakowski A, Wang C, Powers DB, et al. Potent neutralization of botulinum neurotoxin by recombinant oligoclonal antibody. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2002 Aug 20;99(17):11346-50 [Full text]

Park JB, Simpson LL. Inhalational poisoning by botulinum toxin and inhalation vaccination with its heavy-chain component. Infect Immun 2003 Mar;71(3):1147-54 [Full text]

Simpson LL. Identification of the major steps in botulinum toxin action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2004;44:167-93 [Abstract]

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