Abstract
Botulism is neuromuscular paralysis caused by botulinum toxin produced mainly in foods and the infant intestines. The four categories of botulism recognized in humans are foodborne botulism, infant botulism, wound botulism and adult colonization botulism. Clostridium botulinum is a species that is defined by the production of any one of seven serologically distinct toxins designated types A though G. New type H toxin that contains parts of type A and F toxins has recently been found. C. botulinum is also divided biochemically into four groups I to IV. In addition, the recent availability of genomic sequences of the toxins has been initiated, resulting in recognition of at least 40 toxin subtypes. In infant botulism cases in Japan, three subtypes in types A and B have newly been found. Foodborne botulism in Japan has involved 122 cases, mainly type E caused by consumption of typically fermented foods containing fish. These occurrences correspond to the distribution of type E spores. Recently, types A and B cases have also occurred involving vacuum packed and bottled foods. Thirty-three cases of infant botulism have been documented in Japan. The initial cases were related to consumption of honey, but causes of subsequent cases have not identified specific suspected foods. The isolates from these subsequent cases have been designated new strains as subtypes A2, B2, and B6.
