Botulism News and Research

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Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by botulinum toxin, which is produced by the bacterium ''Clostridium botulinum''. The toxin enters the body in one of four ways: by colonization of the digestive tract by the bacterium in children (infant botulism) or adults (adult intestinal toxemia), by ingestion of toxin from foodstuffs (foodborne botulism) or by contamination of a wound by the bacterium (wound botulism).

Researchers discover new type of botulinum neurotoxin from unexpected source

Researchers from the Quadram Institute have identified genes encoding a previously undiscovered version of the botulinum neurotoxin in bacteria from a cow's gut.

12 Jan 2018

High-speed method generates mini-protein binders with potential to become new class of drugs

Scientists have created a high-speed method to generate thousands of different, small, stable proteins from scratch that can be custom-designed to bind to specific therapeutic targets.

27 Sep 2017

Molecular map shows novel way to stop dangerous bioweapon

During World War II, the Soviet Red Army was forced to move their biological warfare operations out of the path of advancing Nazi troops. Among the dangerous cargo were vials of Francisella tularensis, the organism that causes tularemia and one of the world's most infectious pathogens.

6 Sep 2017

Zika: costs of prevention and control

They undertook a modelling study based on six states in the US in areas that are at risk of Zika emergence. The main finding of this study was that the total cost of Zika in these sates had a range that went from approximately 183.4 million dollars to 1.2 billion dollars.

6 Jul 2017

TSRI scientists discover potential new therapy to stop deadly botulinum neurotoxin

Botulinum neurotoxin is probably best known to Americans as BOTOX, a cosmetic medicine, rather than as a cause of potentially dangerous foodborne illnesses.

26 May 2017

Scientist develops way to detect BoNT in biological samples

Many know Botox as a trendy way to get rid of wrinkles, but the popular drug — made from botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) — can do more than just fill lines.

23 Sep 2016

Botulinum toxins may cause remote effects by moving between neurons

The botulinum toxins are among the deadliest substances on Earth, and two specific toxins — including the popular drug Botox — have multiple uses for treating many neuromuscular conditions, including frown lines, disabling muscle spasms and migraine headaches.

5 Aug 2016

Soligenix announces encouraging preliminary results of heat stable Ebola vaccine

A biopharmaceutical company collaborating with Hawai'i scientists on an Ebola vaccine announced encouraging news about its vaccine today.

19 Jul 2016

Discoveries could lead to development of novel therapies to prevent C. diff infection

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have obtained the crystal structure of a toxin from the bacterium Clostridium difficile ("C. diff") -- the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in the United States.

12 Jan 2016

Scientists decipher details of cloaking proteins that protect the toxin that causes botulism

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and collaborators at Stony Brook University and the Institute of Advanced Sciences in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, have discovered new details about how "cloaking" proteins protect the toxin that causes botulism, a fatal disease caused most commonly by consuming improperly canned foods.

7 Dec 2015

New technology developed to determine resistance to rabies virus

Researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife Research have developed a new technology to determine sensitivity or resistance to rabies virus.

20 Mar 2015

Health Canada: Parents advised not to feed honey to infants less than one year old

In Canada, honey is the only food which has been linked to infant botulism – a rare but serious illness that is caused by ingesting the bacterium C. botulinum.

12 Feb 2015

Gene therapy may offer significant advantages in prevention of botulism exposure

The current method to treat acute toxin poisoning is to inject antibodies, commonly produced in animals, to neutralize the toxin. But this method has challenges ranging from safety to difficulties in developing, producing and maintaining the anti-serums in large quantities.

30 Aug 2014

CDC closes labs after anthrax, flu accidents

Federal government labs in Atlanta were temporarily shut after it was discovered they had improperly sent potentially deadly pathogens, including anthrax, botulism and virulent bird flue virus, to other labs.

15 Jul 2014

First Edition: July 14, 2014

Today's headlines include coverage of Medicare, the health law and veterans' care policy issues as well as reports from the campaign trail.

14 Jul 2014

Emergent BioSolutions reports total revenue of $53.9 million for Q1 2014

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. reported total revenue for Q1 2014 of $53.9 million as compared to $43.1 million in 2013. In addition, Q1 2014 net loss was $20.2 million, or $0.55 per share, as compared to a net loss of $8.1 million, or $0.22 per share, in 2013.

9 May 2014

Researchers identify polio-like syndrome in cluster of children from California

Researchers have identified a polio-like syndrome in a cluster of children from California over a one-year period, according to a case report released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26 to May 3, 2014.

25 Feb 2014

Emergent BioSolutions enters into definitive agreement to acquire Cangene

Emergent BioSolutions Inc.announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Cangene Corporation (TSX: CNJ) under which Emergent will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Cangene in an all-cash transaction valued at $3.24 per share on a fully diluted basis for an aggregate purchase price of $222 million.

12 Dec 2013

Scientists decode key molecular gateway for toxin that causes botulism

U.S. and German scientists have decoded a key molecular gateway for the toxin that causes botulism, pointing the way to treatments that can keep the food-borne poison out of the bloodstream.

12 Oct 2013

Botox Cosmetic receives FDA approval for treatment of crow’s feet lines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new use for Botox Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe lateral canthal lines, known as crow’s feet, in adults. Botox Cosmetic is the only FDA approved drug treatment option for lateral canthal lines.

12 Sep 2013