Revista de Bioterrorismo y Biodefensa

Abstracto

Botulinum Neurotoxins as Biothreat Agents

Theresa J Smith, Virginia I Roxas-Duncan and Leonard A Smith

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), a family of proteins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and other clostridial species, are considered to be the most potent toxin known, and a potential biological weapon. BoNTs cause botulism, a serious and life-threatening illness in humans and animals. There are seven immunologically distinct serotypes of BoNTs, each with multiple unique subtypes/genetic variants. BoNT potency and diversity present challenges for detection, diagnosis, treatment, and development of countermeasures. This article provides an overview of the range, diversity, and potency of BoNTs, and how these features might affect their use as biothreat agents.