Molecular and Epidemiological Characterization of Infant Botulism in Beijing, China

• Published in: Biomedical and environmental sciences 2017-06, Vol.30 (6), p.460-464
• Main Authors: DONG, Yin Ping, WANG, Wei, JIANG, Tao, XU, Jin, HAN, Chun Hui, YAN, Shao Fei, Fanning, Séamus, LI, Ying, MA, Xiao Chen, ZHANG, Di, ZHAO, Yao, ZENG, Biao, LI, Feng Qin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Beijing - epidemiology; Botulinum Toxins - isolation & purification; Botulinum Toxins - toxicity; Botulism - diagnosis; Botulism - epidemiology; China; Clostridium botulinum; Clostridium botulinum - isolation & purification; Gastrointestinal Tract - microbiology; Humans; Infant; Infant botulism; Mice; Powdered infant formula; Toxicity Tests; 中国; 分子; 北京; 婴儿配方奶粉; 流行病学特征; 肉毒中毒; 肉毒梭菌毒素; 脉冲场凝胶电泳
• ISSN: 0895-3988; 2214-0190
• DOI: 10.3967/bes2017.061

Laboratory-based pathogen isolation, identification, and toxicity determination were performed on samples from a suspected case of infant botulism. Mice injected with cultures generated from the enema sample and ingested Powered infant formula （PIF） presented typical signs of botulism. Antitoxins to polyvalent botulinum neurotoxins （BoNTs） and monovalent BoNT type B antitoxin had protective effects. Clostridium botulinum isolated from the enema and residual PIF samples were positive for type B toxin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis （PFGE） revealed that the two strains of C. botulinum isolated from the two samples produced indistinguishable pulsotypes. These findings confirmed this case of type B infant botulism associated with the ingestion of PIF contaminated bv type B C. botulinum spores.