Biomaterial Database

Persistence of Clostridium botulinum type C toxin in blow fly (Calliphoridae) larvae as a possible cause of avian botulism in spring. 1991

Z Hubálek, and J Halouzka

Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Systematical and Ecological Biology, Brno.

Diverse samples were examined at a site of water-bird mortality, caused by Clostridium botulinum type C toxin in southern Moravia (Czechoslovakia). The toxin was detected in high concentrations in mute swan (Cygnus olor) carcasses (less than or equal to 1 x 10(6) LD50/g) as well as in necrophagous larvae and pupae of the blow flies Lucilia sericata and Calliphora vomitoria (less than or equal to 1 x 10(5) LD50/g) collected from them. It was detected in lower concentrations (less than or equal to 1 x 10(3) LD50/g) in other invertebrates (ptychopterid fly larvae, leeches, sow-bugs) associated with these carcasses, and occasionally in water samples (8 LD50/ml) close to the carrion. The toxin was not detected in the samples of water, mud or invertebrates collected at a distance greater than or equal to 5 m from the carcasses. The toxin-bearing larvae of L. sericata and C. vomitoria, containing 80,000 LD50/g of type C toxin, were exposed in the mud at the study site for 131 days from November to March. Although the toxin activity decreased 25-fold and 40-fold in the two samples of maggots exposed during this period, it remained very high (less than or equal to 3,200 LD50/g). Birds ingesting a relatively low number of these toxic larvae (or pupae) in the spring could receive a lethal dose of the toxin.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007814	Larva	Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals.	Maggots,Tadpoles,Larvae,Maggot,Tadpole
D001905	Botulinum Toxins	Toxic proteins produced from the species CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM. The toxins are synthesized as a single peptide chain which is processed into a mature protein consisting of a heavy chain and light chain joined via a disulfide bond. The botulinum toxin light chain is a zinc-dependent protease which is released from the heavy chain upon ENDOCYTOSIS into PRESYNAPTIC NERVE ENDINGS. Once inside the cell the botulinum toxin light chain cleaves specific SNARE proteins which are essential for secretion of ACETYLCHOLINE by SYNAPTIC VESICLES. This inhibition of acetylcholine release results in muscular PARALYSIS.	Botulin,Botulinum Neurotoxin,Botulinum Neurotoxins,Clostridium botulinum Toxins,Botulinum Toxin,Neurotoxin, Botulinum,Neurotoxins, Botulinum,Toxin, Botulinum,Toxins, Botulinum,Toxins, Clostridium botulinum
D001906	Botulism	A disease caused by potent protein NEUROTOXINS produced by CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM which interfere with the presynaptic release of ACETYLCHOLINE at the NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION. Clinical features include abdominal pain, vomiting, acute PARALYSIS (including respiratory paralysis), blurred vision, and DIPLOPIA. Botulism may be classified into several subtypes (e.g., food-borne, infant, wound, and others). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1208)	Botulism, Infantile,Botulism, Toxico-Infectious,Clostridium botulinum Infection,Foodborne Botulism,Infant Botulism,Toxico-Infectious Botulism,Wound Botulism,Botulism, Foodborne,Botulism, Infant,Botulism, Toxico Infectious,Botulism, Wound,Clostridium botulinum Infections,Foodborne Botulisms,Infant Botulisms,Infantile Botulism,Infection, Clostridium botulinum,Toxico Infectious Botulism,Wound Botulisms
D004175	Diptera	An order of the class Insecta. Wings, when present, number two and distinguish Diptera from other so-called flies, while the halteres, or reduced hindwings, separate Diptera from other insects with one pair of wings. The order includes the families Calliphoridae, Oestridae, Phoridae, SARCOPHAGIDAE, Scatophagidae, Sciaridae, SIMULIIDAE, Tabanidae, Therevidae, Trypetidae, CERATOPOGONIDAE; CHIRONOMIDAE; CULICIDAE; DROSOPHILIDAE; GLOSSINIDAE; MUSCIDAE; TEPHRITIDAE; and PSYCHODIDAE. The larval form of Diptera species are called maggots (see LARVA).	Flies, True,Flies,Dipteras,Fly,Fly, True,True Flies,True Fly
D004199	Disease Vectors	Invertebrates or non-human vertebrates which transmit infective organisms from one host to another.	Infectious Disease Vectors,Disease Vector,Disease Vector, Infectious,Disease Vectors, Infectious,Infectious Disease Vector,Vector, Disease,Vector, Infectious Disease,Vectors, Disease,Vectors, Infectious Disease
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001715	Bird Diseases	Diseases of birds not considered poultry, therefore usually found in zoos, parks, and the wild. The concept is differentiated from POULTRY DISEASES which is for birds raised as a source of meat or eggs for human consumption, and usually found in barnyards, hatcheries, etc.	Avian Diseases,Avian Disease,Bird Disease,Disease, Avian,Disease, Bird,Diseases, Avian,Diseases, Bird
D001717	Birds	Warm-blooded VERTEBRATES possessing FEATHERS and belonging to the class Aves.	Aves,Bird
D012621	Seasons	Divisions of the year according to some regularly recurrent phenomena usually astronomical or climatic. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Seasonal Variation,Season,Seasonal Variations,Variation, Seasonal,Variations, Seasonal