Characterization of an organism that produces type E botulinal toxin but which resembles Clostridium butyricum from the feces of an infant with type E botulism

Abstract

The apparent causative organism from the only reported case of type E infant botulism was isolated and characterized. Except for its ability to produce type E botulinal toxin, this organism (strain 5262) would be unquestionably identified as Clostridium butyricum. This is the second time an organism resembling a defined Clostridium species other than a member of the C. botulinum group has been implicated in infant botulism. In the 9 years since infant botulism was first described, more than 400 cases have been reported.

Development of real-time PCR tests for detecting botulinum neurotoxins A, B, E, F producingClostridium botulinum,Clostridium baratiiandClostridium butyricum

“…Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) are produced by phenotypically and genetically different Clostridium species including Clostridium botulinum, and some strains of Clostridium baratii (McCroskey et al 1991) and Clostridium butyricum (McCroskey et al 1986). BoNTs are the most potent biological and chemical substances known and are responsible for botulism, which is characterized by severe flaccid paralysis.…”

Genetic interrelationships of saccharolytic Clostridium botulinum types B, E and F and related clostridia as revealed by small-subunit rRNA gene sequences

“…proteolytic strains) whilst in other cases the same toxin type is produced by different genotypes (BoNT types B and F). Recently some strains of C. barati Table 1 Comparison of percentage sequence similarities (lower left hand triangle) and total number of nucleotide differences (upper right hand triangle) for a 1516nucleotide region of 16S rRNA of saccharolytic C. botulinum and other clostridia and C. butyricum have been shown to produce BoNT (types F and E respectively; [5][6][7]) and which by definition are now considered to be C. botulinum. In view of the above taxonomic complexities and the clinical and veterinary importance of C. botulinum there is an urgent need to determine the precise genetic interrelationships of members of this species complex.…”

Nucleotide sequence of the gene coding for Clostridium barati type F neurotoxin: Comparison with other clostridial neurotoxins

“…BoNT type B is produced by saccharolytic and proteolytic genotypes). The classification of C. botulinum has been further complicated by reports of neurotoxins produced by some strains of C. barati [6,7] and C. butyricum [8,9] that cross-react with antisera raised against BoNT types F and E respectively. The genospecific authenticity of these strains has been confirmed by definitive molecular techniques [2,4].…”