[Botulinum and ricin toxins].
Due to their acute toxicity, accessibility and history of use, ricin and botulinum toxins are at the present time the most relevant bioterror toxins. We give a brief review of their toxicity and possible uses in bioterror attacks and describe two cases in Denmark in which immunochemical, PCR and mass spectrometric assays developed in-house were used to confirm a foodborne botulinum toxin E case and to identify bovine serum albumin as the powder enclosed in a letter sent to the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen.
Heegaard
Niels Henrik H
NH
Statens Serum Institut, Autoimmunafdelingen og Klinisk Mikrobiologisk Afdeling, og Danmarks Fødevareforskning, Veterinaer Diagnostik og Forskning, København S. nhe@ssi.dk
Beyer
Natascha Helena
NH
Kogutowska
Ewa
E
Tanassi
Julia T
JT
Jensen
Søren Munk
SM
Andresen
Keld
K
Christensen
Jens Jørgen
JJ
D000818:Animals; D001694:Biological Warfare; D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000517:prevention & control; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000633:toxicity; D002417:Cattle; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012276:Ricin / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000633:toxicity
D012276:Ricin; D001905:Botulinum Toxins