Has botulism been used as a weapon?
The extreme toxicity of this toxin-inducing botulism, a severe lethal muscle-paralyzing illness, has been well known since the seminal works of the end of the 19th century. Because of this toxicity, botulinum toxin was one of the first agents to be considered for use as a biological weapon.
How was botulism used as a weapon?
botulinum or botulinum toxin. Several countries developed botulinum toxin as aerosol weapons in the past. Animal models suggest that inhaling 0.7-0.9 µg of aerosolized botulinum toxin would be enough to kill a standard weight person (70 kg or 154 lbs).
When was botulism used as a biological weapon?
Botulinum toxin gained public attention after a vial of the bacteria was found by investigators in Iraq after the ouster of Saddam Hussein. At the end of the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq claimed it had produced 19,000 liters of the toxin; if true, it was an amount capable of killing the entire population of the earth.
Is botulism used in bioterrorism?
Botulinum toxin has been a concern as a potential biological warfare agent since World War II. The extreme toxicity of botulinum toxins and the ease of production, transport and delivery make this a potential bioterrorism agent.
What is botulinum toxin type A used for?
Botox is used in adults to treat cervical dystonia (abnormal head position and neck pain). Botox is also used to treat muscle spasms and stiffness (spasticity) of the arms, hands, legs, and feet in adults and children at least 2 years old. This medicine will not treat spasticity caused by cerebral palsy.
How toxic is botulinum toxin?
Botulinum toxins, if prepared as an aerosol, have the potential to be potent biological weapons. One gram of an aerosolized botulism toxin is enough to kill about a million people, and a human toxic dose is on the order of a billionth of a gram.
How does botulinum toxin work?
Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and related species. It prevents the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from axon endings at the neuromuscular junction, thus causing flaccid paralysis. The toxin causes the disease botulism.
How is botulinum toxin produced?
botulinum are heat-resistant, the toxin produced by bacteria growing out of the spores under anaerobic conditions is destroyed by boiling (for example, at internal temperature greater than 85 °C for 5 minutes or longer).
What type of toxin is botulinum?
What is botulinum toxin type A? The cosmetic form of botulinum toxin, sometimes referred to as “Botox” by patients, is a popular injectable that temporarily reduces or eliminates facial fine lines and wrinkles. The most commonly treated areas are frown lines, forehead creases, crow’s feet near the eyes.
How does botulinum toxin function?
Botulinum toxin acts by binding presynaptically to high-affinity recognition sites on the cholinergic nerve terminals and decreasing the release of acetylcholine, causing a neuromuscular blocking effect.
What does botulinum toxin do?
Botulinum toxins are one of the most lethal substances known. Botulinum toxins block nerve functions and can lead to respiratory and muscular paralysis. Human botulism may refer to foodborne botulism, infant botulism, wound botulism, and inhalation botulism or other types of intoxication.