Detection of Clostridium botulinum in cases of infant botulism or intestinal botulism
Infant botulism, produced by the production of toxin in the digestive tract of young children colonized by Clostridium botulinum (the most frequent cause is due to the ingestion of contaminated honey or corn syrup), followed by the absorption of the toxin. These patients may have antibodies to the toxin.
Adult intestinal botulism, produced by digestive colonization in older adults by Clostridium botulinum, followed by absorption of the toxin. These patients may have antibodies to the toxin.
Test available and recommended for infant botulism and Adult intestinal botulism
- Optional: Inoculation test to mice with serum or with food extract ingested.
- Recommended: Culture test, followed by inoculation to mice with culture filtration.
- In case of being positive, confirmation test by neutralization and identification of the type of toxin.
Schedule for results
- We cannot give exact times. If only the detection of the toxin in mice is carried out and is negative, the report would be in a maximum of one week. If a culture of the sample is carried out, and subsequently the detection of the toxin by inoculating culture filtrates into batches of mice, the time would be two weeks. If any of these mouse inoculation tests, with a sample extract or with the enrichment culture filtrate, are positive, the neutralization test must be performed on mice to confirm that it is botulinum toxin and to identify its type by neutralization tests, which take 15 days to complete.
- Real-time PCR tests take 3 or 4 working days to complete.
Sample storage and shipping conditions
- Stool in cases of infant botulism or intestinal botulism (10 g), produced by intestinal colonization, to perform the culture and detection of the toxin in the culture filtrate by inoculation to mice.
Form with product characteristics and chosen test(s)
- If you request that tests be carried out, you must send us with the product the specific request form that we have attached, indicating the characteristics of the product and the chosen tests that you wish to be carried out on the sample sent.