VPT 421: Veterinary Toxicology (2+0)

BOTULISM

• Botulism, or 'sausage poisoning', was reportedly first recognized in Germany around the late 1700s.
• Botulism is the disease caused by any one of 7 serotypically different, but functionally similar toxins produced by strains of Clostridium botulinum .
• They are among the most potent toxins known.
• Of these 7 serotypes (A-G), types C and D have historically been the most commonly implicated in domestic mammals and poultry.
• These proteinaceous toxins are only slightly cross-reactive and can generally be regarded as immunologically specific.
• A, B serotypes are primarily isolated from soil. B serotype has been a problem especially in horses and is also implicated in toxicoses of cattle.
• C serotype is the most commonly implicated serotype in dogs, waterfowl, and poultry. This toxin has also been said to affect horses.
• Birds are somewhat resistant to type D, but cattle are quite sensitive.
• E serotype is isolated from mud and water of estuaries and sea food. Dogs are reportedly extremely sensitive to type E toxin.

Sources

• The most common source of botulinum toxin causing poisoning in most, if not all species of domestic animals, is carcasses of decaying animals form an anaerobic environment and the toxin may be present in maggots feeding on the contaminated tissues.
• Maggots often serve as the vector of botulinum toxin.