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Bioterrorism and Infectious Agents: A New Dilemma for the 21st Century pp 193–204Cite as

Botulism as a Potential Agent of Bioterrorism

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Part of the book series: Emerging Infectious Diseases of the 21st Century ((EIDC))

Abstract

The clostridial neurotoxins are among the most potently lethal substances in the world, with median lethal doses (LD50) for humans in the nanogram/kilogram range. The toxins are closely related proteins, produced as a single polypeptide chain and subsequently altered to produce a heavy chain and a light chain connected by disulfide bonds. The genetic information encoding the seven botulinum toxins is encoded on the bacterial chromosome; in contrast, tetanospasmin, the tetanus neurotoxin, is encoded on a plasmid. Both botulinum and tetanus toxins are relatively simple to produce. The botulinum toxins affect the neuromuscular junction and muscarinic peripheral autonomic synapses; their major manifestations are weakness and autonomic dysfunction. In stark relief, the predominant effect of tetanospasmin is in the central nervous system, where it produces failure of inhibition leading to hypertonia and spasms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurological Surgery and Internal Medicine, Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit, Charlottesville, VA

    Thomas P. Bleck MD, FCCM

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  1. Thomas P. Bleck MD, FCCM
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Room 4179W, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada

    I. W. Fong

  2. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, George Mason Universuty National Center for Biodefense, 10900 University Blvd., Manassas, VA, 20110, MS 1A8, USA

    Kenneth Alibek

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Bleck, T.P. (2009). Botulism as a Potential Agent of Bioterrorism. In: Fong, I.W., Alibek, K. (eds) Bioterrorism and Infectious Agents: A New Dilemma for the 21st Century. Emerging Infectious Diseases of the 21st Century. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1266-4_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1266-4_7

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