Comparative studies on Clostridium botulinum type A strains associated with infant botulism in Japan and in California, USA.
Twenty strains of Clostridium botulinum type A associated with infant botulism cases, six in Japan and 14 in California, USA, were compared in their characters. All six Japanese strains produced medium-sized progenitor toxin (M toxin; Mr 300 k) but no hemagglutinin and showed lower 50% infective doses (ID50) in the infant mouse test; whereas most American strains produced large-sized progenitor toxin (L + LL toxins; Mr 500 k and 900 k) and hemagglutinin in addition to M toxin and showed higher ID50 in infant mice. No marked difference in the biochemical properties was found between the two groups except for two American strains.
Tabita
K
K
Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health.
Sakaguchi
S
S
Kozaki
S
S
Sakaguchi
G
G
D000818:Animals; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D001906:Botulism / Q000382:microbiology*; D002140:California; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000145:classification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015151:Immunoblotting; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D007564:Japan; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR
D006388:Hemagglutinins; D001905:Botulinum Toxins