Botulinum Toxins (Chemicals Summary Page)

CHEMICALS SUMMARY PAGE

Botulinum Toxins:

Summary Information
Classification	Chemicals / Complex Chemical Agents / Type: (This chemicals section is currently predominantly used in Wildpro to *link* different data types and demonstrate inter-relationships. It does not contain detailed information on the chemical itself.)
Alternative Names	--
Notes	Seven different toxin types, A-G, produced by *Clostridium botulinum* have been identified. Toxin production occurs only when the bacterium is actively growing and multiplying, and is dependent on a bacteriophage (virus). Botulinum type C toxin is a neuroparalytic agent produced by *Clostridium botulinum* which blocks the release of neurotransmitter in a three-stage process: i) binds to the presynaptic cell membrane (rapid, irreversible); ii) penetrates membrane, enters cell; iii) disables mechanism for acetylcholine release (cleaves synaptobrevin, a protein found in membrane of synaptic vesicles and which is critical for acetyl choline release). The toxin is produced by *Clostridium botulinum* growing in organic matter, including carcasses; maggots feeding on carcasses ingest toxin, ducks feeding on maggots ingest toxin in the maggots. 0.05-0.25g of maggots, or as few as 2-4 maggots can contain sufficient toxin to produce clinical botulism (J1.12.w4, J7.27.w1, B15, B36.38.w38, B48.12.w12).
Taxa Groups (hyperlinked if included as Wildpro Modules) containing host species which have been recorded as infected by this organism.	*Waterfowl*
Associated Waterfowl Diseases	Avian Botulism (Limberneck, Western duck sickness, Duck disease, Alkali poisoning)	Waterfowl Disease Summary	A paralytic, frequently fatal disease, caused by ingestion of toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Death is usually from respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest or drowning. Outbreaks affecting thousands and even millions of birds have been recorded. This is probably the most important disease of migratory birds, on a world-wide basis.
Associated Waterfowl Diseases		Waterfowl in which the disease has been recorded.	Aix galericulata - Mandarin duck Aix sponsa - Wood duck Alopochen aegyptiacus - Egyptian goose Anas acuta - Northern pintail Anas americana - American wigeon Anas castanea - Chestnut teal Anas clypeata - Northern shoveler Anas crecca - Common teal Anas cyanoptera - Cinnamon teal Anas discors - Blue-winged teal Anas gracilis - Grey teal Anas penelope - Eurasian wigeon Anas platyrhynchos - Mallard Anas platyrhynchos domesticus - Domestic duck Anas rubripes - American black duck Anas strepera - Gadwall Anas superciliosa - Pacific black duck Anser anser - Greylag goose Anser brachyrhynchus - Pink-footed goose Anser caerulescens - Snow goose Aythya affinis - Lesser scaup Aythya americana - Redhead Aythya collaris - Ring-necked duck Aythya ferina - Common pochard Aythya fuligula - Tufted duck Aythya marila - Greater scaup Aythya valisineria - Canvasback Branta canadensis - Canada goose Bucephala albeola - Bufflehead Bucephala clangula - Common goldeneye Cairina moschata - Muscovy duck Clangula hyemalis - Long-tailed duck Cygnus atratus - Black swan Cygnus olor - Mute swan Dendrocygna bicolor - Fulvous whistling-duck Lophodytes cucullatus - Hooded merganser Melanitta fusca - White-winged scoter Mergus merganser - Common merganser Oxyura jamaicensis - Ruddy duck Tadorna tadorna - Common shelduck

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