title: First case of type E wound botulism diagnosed using real-time PCR.
abstract: Wound botulism is a growing problem among injecting drug users. The condition is often difficult to diagnose, with laboratory confirmation in only 50% of the cases. Here we present a real-time PCR-based method for the diagnosis of wound botulism caused by Clostridium botulinum. The assay includes an internal amplification control which is amplified simultaneously with the genes encoding neurotoxin types A, B, and E. This method was used to detect the first case of wound botulism in an injecting drug user in Sweden. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of wound botulism caused by C. botulinum type E.
authors: Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden.
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: Artin
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Björkman
authors: Jonas
authors: J
authors: Cronqvist
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Rådström
authors: Elisabet
authors: E
authors: Holst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001906:Botulism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D047970:Clostridium botulinum type E / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis*