Clostridium botulinum: a Dual Role in Public Health and Innovative Therapies
Infections caused by foodborne toxins can be severe and even lethal. Despite this, one of these substances has transitioned from being merely a food threat to an asset used across various industries, particularly in cosmetics.
Hazards and Applications of Botulinum Neurotoxin
The first known botulism outbreak in the 19th-century Belgium, linked to contaminated cured ham, led to the identification of Clostridium botulinum as the occasional, yet critical pathogen due to its severe health risks and high mortality rate.
This spore-forming bacterium is prevalent in soils and sediment in large bodies of water like lakes and oceans. Though classified into four species, the categorization remains unchanged, as they all produce a neurotoxic protein.
Botulinum neurotoxins are categorized into seven types (A-G) with further sub-types. Among them, toxins A, B, and E are primarily responsible for botulism. Types A and B are often related to foods contaminated by soil, whereas type E is commonly associated with fish and shellfish.
Preventative strategies for botulism focus on reducing contamination, controlling acidity and moisture levels, and if feasible, eliminating spores through a heat treatment at 80ºC or higher for at least one minute.
Despite being the most potent and hazardous neurotoxin, Type A is commercially available as BotoxTM. Beyond cosmetics, it has applications in ophthalmology, neurology, and dermatology, and ongoing research is exploring its potential in other medical fields.
Detection of C. botulinum
Due to the high risk associated with these neurotoxins, the analysis of these bacteria is subject to strict regulations.
Detection begins with sample preparation and enrichment, typical procedures in food testing. As per the BAM guidelines, various media can be used for enrichment, with the Cooked Meat Medium being the most prevalent.
Isolation follows incubation using a selective medium. The BAM advises using Liver Veal Agar with Egg Yolk and/or Anaerobic Agar with Egg Yolk for inoculation.
Quick techniques like qPCR and PCR-Multiplex offer alternatives by enabling simultaneous detection of different neurotoxin types.
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