1. By: Ellie McCarthy AP Biology – Period 1&2

2. Domain: Bacteria Kingdom: Bacteria Division: Firmicutes Class: Clostridia Order: Clostridiales Family: Clostridiaceae Genus: Clostridium Species: C. botulinum Binomial name: Clostridium botulinum

3. Gram positive Shape: rod (bacilli) Obligate anaerobe (chemautotroph) Found in soil Form in colonies Motile

4. Produces oval, subterminal endospores Can survive in most environments and are very hard to kill Produces botulinum neurotoxins types A-G Called botulin Extremely toxic Types A, B, E and F affect humans Types C and D affect animals Type G is unknown

5. Disease Causes the disease botulism Results from the ingestion of the neurotoxin (exotoxin) botulin released by C. botulinum while growing on food Endospores frequently found in honey Neurotoxins are absorbed into blood stream, affecting the nervous system by preventing the release of aceytlcholine Symptoms usually begin between 12 and 72 hours after ingestion Lasts from 1 to 10 days If not caught early and treated properly, death results Nausea Vomiting Fatigue Dizziness Double vision Drooping eyelids Slurred speech Difficulty swallowing Dryness of skin, mouth, and throat No fever Muscle weakness Flaccid paralysis Starts with eyes and face, then progresses downward Eventual asphyxia (death) Symptoms

6. Treatment Antibiotics ineffective, antitoxins more effective Stop exotoxins in the bloodstream from further affecting the nervous system Supportive treatment in an intensive care ward Ventilation may be needed in cases of respiratory failure Recovery takes weeks because nerve endings must rejuvenate Food-borne botulism Most common Contamination of agricultural products and seafood Under-processed canned foods or can leakage Incorrectly home-canned foods Wound botulism Occurs when C. botulinum cells affect an open wound Exotoxins travel to the bloodstream and then affect the nervous system Infant botulism Rare Symptoms often take weeks to occur Presents with constipation, tiredness and inability to feed, followed by respiratory failure Types

8. 1895 – First recognized and isolated by Emile van Ermengem 1928 – P. Tessemer Snipe and Hermann Sommer able to purify the botulism toxin 1960s – Alan Scott and Edward Schantz began experimenting with botulism toxin type A (BTX-A) for therapeutic purposes Cosmetically – used in Botox and other cosmetic formulas to treat frown lines and wrinkles Therapeutically – muscle pain disorders, upper motor neuron syndrome, blepharospasm, strabismus and hemifacial spasm

9. Ecolab. Clostridium botulinum. 30 September 2003. 2 February 2011. Maricopa Community College. "Chapter 13: Disease Transmission & Pathogenesis." n.d. Biology. 2 February 2011. Marler, Bill. "Clostridium botulinum." 23 November 2010. Botulism Blog. 2 February 2011.. Schenectady County Community College. "Clostridium botulinum." n.d. Education that Works. 2 February 2011. Wikipedia. 2 February 2011. 2 February 2011.

10. Arsenault, Richard J. "Infant Botulism and Honey." 18 January 2010. NBA Food Advocate. 2 February 2011. Cedar Crest College. "Clostridium botulinum." n.d. 2 February 2011. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Image Library. "File:Clostridium botulinum 01.png." 23 February 2006. wikipedia.org. 2 February 2011. Keith R. Schneider, Mickey E. Parish, and Renée M. Goodrich. "Clostridium botulinum." 29 October 2010. U. Ill. Food Safety. 2 February 2011. Lietz, Jessica. "Clostridium Botulinim Symptoms." 20 November 2009. ehow.com. 2 February 2011. Maricopa Community College. Chapter 13: Disease Transmission & Pathogenesis. n.d. 2 February 2011. Marler, Bill. Clostridium botulinum. 23 November 2010. 2 February 2011. Matthews, L. "Treating Whiplash with Botox." 17 November 2010. PainNeck.com. 2 February 2011.

11. N.P.K. "Clostridium bolutinum Giant Microbe." 2 January 2008. Giant Microbes. 2 February 2011. Schenectady County Community College. Clostridium botulinum. n.d. 2 February 2011. Science Channel. "Top 10 Infectious Diseases." 2009 12 December. Science Discovery. 2 February 2011. Science Photo Library. "Clostridium botulinum bacteria." 1999. Science Photo Library. 2 February 2011. Strandwitz, Phil. "Infant Botulism." 17 April 2008. Botulism. 2 February 2011. Wikimedia Commons. "File:Botulism1and2.JPG." 27 October 2010. Wikimedia Commons. 2 February 2011. Wikipedia. Botulinum Toxin. 24 January 2011. 2 February 2011.