• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2008

Many neurotoxigenic clostridia are found in soil. Among animals, birds are especially susceptible to botulism, perhaps because they feed on insects, invertebrate carcasses, and decayed feeds contaminated with spores of Clostridium (C.) botulinum. C. botulinum type C is mainly involved in avian botulism. In the summer of 2005, death of a mute swan (cygnus olor) living in the pond of large bird cage was found in Seoul Grand Park Zoo. The birds presented presumptive clinical signs of botulism, such as ruffled hackle feathers, abnormal posture of the head, weakness, and flaccid paralysis. At that time, pond water in the breeding facilities was drained for 7 days, but there were still remained water containing sediment of feed and feces. Therefore, botulism was suspected and an experimentation were made to detect C. botulinum in the dead mute swan. Gross post-mortem findings of a mute swan showed jelly-like hemorrhagic contents in the intestine, sands and vegetations in the stomach. C. botulinum was isolated from the liver, small intestine and large intestine samples. Botulism was also confirmed by mouse inoculation test with the organ samples. With PCR, a gene encoding C. botulinum type C toxin was detected for the several organs of the mute swan died. These results suggested that death of mute swan was caused by C. botulinum type C.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.499-505
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• 2006

Clostridium botulinum spores are widely distributed in nature. Type A and proteolytic type B bacteria produce heat-resistant spores that are primarily involved in most of the food-borne botulism outbreaks associated with low-acid canned foods. Food-borne botulism results from the consumption of food in which C. botulinum has grown and produced neurotoxin. Growth and toxin production of type A and proteolytic type B in canned foods can be prevented by the use of thermal sterilization alone or in combination with salt and nitrite. The hazardousness of C. botulinum in low-acid canned foods can also be reduced by preventing post-process contamination and introducing hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) practices during production. Effectiveness of non-thermal technologies such as high pressure processing with elevated process temperatures on inactivation of spores of C. botulinum will be discussed.

• KOREAN POULTRY JOURNAL
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• v.17 no.7 s.189
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• pp.100-103
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• 1985

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.343-346
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• 2009

Botulism in wild waterfowl has been reported in many areas of the world. In 18 October 2008 to 22, 101 dead wild ducks were found in Anyangcheon. 24 of dead birds were spotbill (Anas poeilorhyncha), 56 were Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), 18 were green- winged teal (Anas carolinensis) and 3 were others. Clinical sign of the sick birds were flaccid paralysis of the neck. At autopsy, most birds had no specific lesions. Stomach is empty. In the mouse bioassay, Samples of serum and intestinal contents taken from 9 dead birds killed all the injected mice, and their toxicity was neutralized by the antitoxin against C. botulinum type C toxin.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.948-952
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• 2008

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.349-356
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• 1999

Type C botulism was broken out in cattle at Pochun country, Kyonggi in Korea. The main cause was on the feed of fermented food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. It was supposed to be contaminated with C botulinum during producing the fermented food because of either using contaminated food residues or adding contaminated additive materials like sausage. One hundred and twenty out of 642 cattle in 11 farms showed typical botulism symptoms and 95 among them died. The incubation period was from 2 to 14 days and the average incubation period was 8 days. The mortality in this case was 18.3%.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.719-727
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• 2011

Botulism is a neuroparalytic disease caused by Clostridium botulinum, which produces seven (A-G) antigenically diverse neurotoxins (BoNTs). BoNTs are the most poisonous substances known to humans, with a median lethal dose ($LD_{50}$) of approximately 1 ng/kg of body weight. Owing to their extreme potency and lethality, they have the potential to be used as a bioterrorism agent. The mouse bioassay is the gold standard for the detection of botulinum neurotoxins; however, it requires at least 3-4 days for completion. Attempts have been made to develop an ELISA-based detection system, which is potentially an easier and more rapid method of botulinum neurotoxin detection. The present study was designed using a synthetic gene approach. The synthetic gene encoding the catalytic domain of BoNT serotype B from amino acids 1-450 was constructed with PCR overlapping primers (BoNT/B LC), cloned in a pQE30 UA vector, and expressed in an E. coli M15 host system. Recombinant protein production was optimized at 0.5 mM IPTG final concentration, 4 h post induction, resulting in a maximum yield of recombinant proteins. The immunogenic nature of the recombinant BoNT/B LC protein was evaluated by ELISA. Antibodies were raised in BALB/c mice using various adjuvants. A significant rise in antibody titer (p<0.05) was observed in the Alum group, followed by the Titermax Classic group, Freund's adjuvant, and the Titermax Gold group. These developed high-titer antibodies may prove useful for the detection of botulinum neurotoxins in food and clinical samples.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.208.3-208
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• 2005

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1073-1077
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• 2018

Nitrite plays a major role in inhibiting the growth of foodborne pathogens, including Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) that causes botulism, a life-threatening disease. Nitrite serves as a color-fixing agent in processed meat products. However, N-nitroso compounds can be produced from nitrite, which are considered as carcinogens. Thus, consumers desire processed meat products that contain lower concentrations (below conventional concentrations of products) of nitrite or no nitrite at all, although the portion of nitrite intake by processed meat consumption in total nitrite intake is very low. However, lower nitrite levels might expose consumers to risk of botulism poisoning due to C. botulinum or illness caused by other foodborne pathogens. Hence, lower nitrite concentrations in combination with other factors such as low pH, high sodium chloride level, and others have been recommended to decrease the risk of food poisoning. In addition, natural compounds that can inhibit bacterial growth and function as color-fixing agents have been developed to replace nitrite in processed meat products. However, their antibotulinal effects have not been fully clarified. Therefore, to have processed meat products with lower nitrite concentrations, low pH, high sodium chloride concentration, and others should also be applied together. Before using natural compounds as replacement of nitrite, their antibotulinal activities should be examined.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.781-800
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• 2002

Recently, biological weapons (BWs) prepared with pathogenic microorganisms, toxins and biological vectors have been used maliciously for biological warfare, bioterrorism and/or agroterrorism by hostile countries and terrorists. In this review, historical background of disease and malicious use of BWs pathogenicity of microorganisms, advanced methodology involved in laboratory diagnosis, and prevention and control of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis), plague (Yersinia pseudotuberculosis subs. pestis), glanders (Burkholderia mallei), and smallpox (Variola virus) which have been abused for biological warfare or bioterrorism were discussed. In addition, the pathogenicity of microorganisms and the methodology needed to diagnose and control 6 diseases identified by WHO/CDC, ie., smallpox, inhalation anthrax, pneumonic plague, botulism, tularemia, and hemorrhagic fevers that would wreak havoc if terrorists successfully disseminated the germs by air were described.