What causes Clostridium botulinum foodborne illness?
There are seven strains of C. botulinum, based on differences in antigenicity among the toxins, each characterized by its ability to produce a protein neurotoxin, enterotoxin, or haemotoxins. Types A, B, E, and F cause botulism in humans, while types C-alpha, C-beta, and D cause botulism in animals and birds. Type G was identified in 1970 but has not been determined as a cause of botulism in humans or animals. The organisms are characterized by their straight, slightly curved, Gram-positive, motile, anaerobic rods, which produce heat-resistant spores. The spores become activated in a low acid (less than 4.6), anaerobic environment with temperatures ranging from 40°F to 120°F, having high moisture content, and lacking competing bacterial flora. According to the CDC, there were 169 reported cases of botulism in 2001: 33 foodborne, 112 infant, and 23 resulting from wound botulism. Although the incidence of C. botulinum in the United States is rare, due to increasing knowledge and educatio
