title: The production of Clostridium botulinum toxin in mammalian, avian and piscine carrion.
abstract: Mice, birds (chicks, quail) and fish (rudd, goldfish) killed shortly after receiving 1300-2000 spores of Clostridium botulinum per os were incubated, usually at 23 degrees C for 7 days. A 10% (w/v) homogenate of each rotting carcass was then prepared, sterilized by membrane filtration, and assayed for toxin. In mouse carcasses a type C strain of C. botulinum usually produced greater than 2 X 10(5) mouse intraperitoneal LD/g; in fish carcasses it usually produced less--often much less--than 2 X 10(4) LD/g. Avian carcasses appeared to be intermediate between those of mice and fish in their ability to support toxigenesis. A type E strain of C. botulinum, unlike type C, produced toxin equally well in fish and mouse carrion, usually at a concentration of between 2 X 10(4) and 2 X 10(5) LD/g.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Laboratories of Comparative Medicine, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000378:metabolism*; D005399:Fishes; D006054:Goldfish; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins