Clostridium botulinum type E in Lake Erie: Inter-annual differences and role of benthic invertebrates

Environmental Factors Influencing the Prevalence of a Clostridium botulinum Type C/D Mosaic Strain in Nonpermanent Mediterranean Wetlands

“…During mass mortalities of waterbirds produced by C. botulinum type E in North America, benthic invertebrates have been identified as potential vectors of spores (51). Here, we detected C. botulinum in samples of Chiromonidae and Corixidae that were collected around bird carcasses, but their potential risk as carriers of toxin seems to be limited (9).…”

In Vitro Detection and Quantification of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type E Activity in Avian Blood

“…BoNT/E outbreaks in the Great Lakes region typically occur between June and December and correlate with low mean annual water levels and increased surface water temperatures (25). It has been hypothesized that BoNT/E is mobilized through Great Lakes aquatic food webs consisting of exotic species (19,25,32,33), providing a potential link between sediment-inhabiting clostridia and the intoxication of fish-eating birds. Using the BoTest Matrix E assay to conduct enhanced epidemiological investigations of avian BoNT/E outbreaks, including the analysis of aquatic food web components, would aid in our understanding of toxin mobilization pathways and provide critical insights for the management and conservation of bird species in the Great Lakes region.…”

“…This is supported by the isolation of Clostridium botulinum from fish muscle and alimentary canal tissues as well as detection of the BoNT/E gene in fish liver and intestine samples collected within the Great Lakes Basin (8,16,47). Additional studies have identified the BoNT/E gene in sediment samples collected from Lake Erie, suggesting that sediment ingestion is a route for bacterial infection or toxin accumulation in bottom-feeding fish or bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as filter-feeding dreissenid mussels (32,33).…”

Spatial, Temporal, and Matrix Variability of Clostridium botulinum Type E Toxin Gene Distribution at Great Lakes Beaches

“…botulinum is ubiquitous in the environment and frequently detected in soils, surface water, sediments, Cladophora species, fish, and benthic fauna (6,12,(15)(16)(17)(18), and up to 820,000 bontE gene copies/mg have been detected in Lake Erie chironomids living along the lake bottom (19). The offshore and onshore algae/ Cladophora play an important role in occurrence and survival of C. botulinum in the Great Lakes, which produce conditions ideal for the growth and survival of numerous microorganisms, including C. botulinum type E (10,18,(20)(21)(22)(23).…”

“…High concentrations of C. botulinum type E in lake sediment have been correlated with land drainage, water currents, and sediment deposition (25). Increased water temperatures may enhance the type E detection in sediment, potentially indicating bacterial growth under anoxic conditions (9,19,26). In addition, other physicochemical parameters such as redox potential, pH, salinity, available phosphorus, and turbidity may contribute to C. botulinum type E growth (19,27,28).…”