Why are botulism outbreaks occurring now?
Scientists believe that there are outbreaks of Type E botulism only when a variety of particular ecological factors occur simultaneously, such as warmer water temperatures, anoxic (oxygen deprived) conditions, and adequate levels of bacterial substrate. As average air and water temperatures have been rising on a global scale, warmer temperatures and anoxic conditions are occurring more frequently. Once these factors lead to the production of the toxin in food material eaten by fish, the toxin can be passed up the food chain as birds consume the infected fish or eat maggots from the decaying carcasses of infected individuals.
