Clostridium botulinum News and Research

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Risk of botulism at California fish processing company

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in a complaint filed by the Department of Justice, is seeking to stop the processing and distribution of fish products at a California company because of a risk of botulism and other food hazards.

30 Mar 2012

Botulism toxins could be re-engineered for treating RA, asthma, psoriasis

The most poisonous substance on Earth - already used medically in small doses to treat certain nerve disorders and facial wrinkles - could be re-engineered for an expanded role in helping millions of people with rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis and other diseases, scientists are reporting. Their study appears in ACS' journal Biochemistry.

1 Dec 2011

Four companies receive NIAID contracts to develop broad-spectrum therapeutics

Four companies are to develop broad-spectrum therapeutics-antibiotics, antivirals and an antitoxin-to prevent or treat diseases caused by multiple types of bacteria or viruses, under contracts awarded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

14 Oct 2011

Insight into how bacterial toxins cause human diseases may help improve treatment

A better understanding of how bacterial toxins cause common human diseases may lead to their improved treatment and prevention according to a paper just published by Irish and US scientists in Nature Reviews Microbiology.

25 Aug 2011

Scientists sequence Clostridium botulinum genome that produces neurotoxin

Scientists on the Norwich Research Park have sequenced the genome of a novel strain of Clostridium botulinum, one of the most dangerous pathogens known to man. The strain produces an unusual botulinum neurotoxin, known as type A5 neurotoxin, which was isolated by the Health Protection Agency, following a case of wound botulism.

8 Mar 2011

FDA stops operations of N.Y.-based beverage company

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice today filed a complaint for permanent injunction against a Jamaica, N.Y.-based beverage company to prevent it from processing and distributing juice and other products.

14 Jan 2011

Clostridium bacteria may offer a greener alternative to petrol

A diverse family of bacteria that can cause a potentially fatal illness in humans but could offer a greener alternative to petrol to power our cars will be the subject of a talk by a University of Nottingham academic at an international conference.

12 Jan 2011

Study raises questions about therapeutic use of botulinum toxin A

A new study by researchers at the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, is raising questions about the therapeutic use of botulinum toxin A.

3 Dec 2010

Merz to present data on Xeomin clinical studies for cervical dystonia at AAPM&R

Merz Pharmaceuticals announced today that data from stability and clinical studies evaluating Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA), a botulinum toxin type A free from accessory proteins, will be presented at the 71st Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) in Seattle, Wash.

8 Nov 2010

FDA files complaint for permanent injunction against Brooklyn Juice Company

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice today filed a complaint for permanent injunction against a Brooklyn juice company to prevent it from processing and distributing juice products.

8 Oct 2010

New method for detecting spores of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum

The Institute of Food Research has collaborated in the development of a new method for detecting spores of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium is the major health hazard associated with refrigerated convenience foods, and these developments give the food industry and regulators more quantitative information on which to base the procedures that ensure food safety.

1 Oct 2010

SQI Diagnostics signs development agreement with Silliker

SQI Diagnostics Inc., a medical systems automation company focused on evolving laboratory-based biomarker testing, today announced that it has entered into a development agreement with Silliker, Inc., a leading internationally accredited company dedicated to improving nutrition, food safety and quality, for the commercialization of a botulism toxin panel that will run on SQI's SQiDman analytical system.

26 Apr 2010

Allergan celebrates 20th anniversary of BOTOX in Canada

Twenty years ago, the first approved use of BOTOX(R) (botulinum toxin type A), a neurotoxin widely used to treat several life altering medical conditions, was granted in Canada. As part of the 20th anniversary celebrations, healthcare professionals from coast to coast reflect upon the discovery, science and evolution of a therapy that has impacted the lives of millions of patients worldwide.

3 Mar 2010

Agilent Technologies, NCFST enter into collaboration to develop new scientific methods for food testing

Agilent Technologies Inc. and the National Center for Food Safety and Technology today announced that they have entered into a collaboration to develop new scientific methods for food testing, with the goal of solving a wide range of persistent problems facing global food supply chains.

2 Mar 2010

Maryland seafood processor to stop fish distribution for non-compliance of food safety laws

The FDA today announced that a Maryland seafood processor delivering fresh, frozen, and ready-to-eat seafood in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., is to stop processing and distributing adulterated fish and seafood because it is not compliant with federal food safety laws.

9 Jan 2010

Health risks of wooden pallet shipping platforms, call for Congress and FDA regulation

The expanded recall of TYLENOL Arthritis pain reliever is fresh evidence of the need for Congress and the FDA to regulate wood pallets used to transport food and pharmaceuticals in the United States because of the dangers they pose to human health.

4 Jan 2010

Wood pallet: A source of food poisoning bacteria

In a random sampling of wood pallets used to ship food in Portland, ME, and Philadelphia, PA, numerous pallets tested positive for Listeria and abnormally high counts of bacteria that could potentially create health hazards for consumers.

17 Dec 2009

New discovery on how botulism paralyzes nerve cells

New structures of a botulism toxin interacting with a mimic of the nerve-cell protein it destroys suggest new ways to block this often-fatal interaction. Indeed, the mimic molecules have such high affinity for the toxin and bind to it so tightly that they themselves could possibly serve as anti-toxin drugs with further modification, the researchers said.

21 Jun 2009

New botulinum toxin type A (Reloxin) appears to be well tolerated and may help reduce forehead wrinkles

Injections with a new type of botulinum toxin appears to be well tolerated and may help to improve the appearance of moderate to severe forehead lines with no evidence of diminishing treatment response over 13 months, according to a report in the March/April issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.

16 Mar 2009

New nasal spray vaccine shown to be effective against botulism

A preclinical study found a new nasal spray vaccine to provide complete protection against a major botulism toxin, according to a study published today in the Nature journal Gene Therapy .

8 Jan 2009