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Gutiérrez-Arnal J, Marín C. The Latent Threat in Wild Birds: Clostridium botulinum. Vet Sci 2024; 11:36. [PMID: 38250942 PMCID: PMC10818396 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Avian botulism caused by Clostridium botulinum emerged in 1910, affecting birds across North America, leading to severe outbreaks exacerbated by climate change, decreasing water levels, and inadequate wastewater management. While deadly for birds, its epidemiological impact on humans and other animals remains limited. Despite its significance, understanding and controlling the disease remain challenging. This review delves into the pathogen's epidemiology in wild bird populations, exploring the transmission, pathogenicity, clinical symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. The disease's growing concern in wild birds relates to the bacterium's adaptability and expansive spread, evident through genetic similarities among strains across countries. Outbreaks are influenced by environmental factors such as temperature and soil characteristics. Wild birds inadvertently transmit the bacterium, perpetuating the cycle through carcasses and flies. Some species suffer severely, while others, like scavengers, show resistance. Understanding disease mechanisms, involving potential toxin ingestion or internal production, remains ongoing. Clinical signs vary, affecting diverse bird orders. Diagnostic methods evolve, with treatment success varying among affected populations. Prevention and surveillance take precedence due to treatment challenges, emphasising population-based strategies and preventive measures to manage the widespread presence of C. botulinum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josep Gutiérrez-Arnal
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Calle Santiago Ramón y Cajal 20, 45115 Valencia, Alfara del Patriarca, Spain;
| | - Clara Marín
- Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Calle Santiago Ramón y Cajal 20, 45115 Valencia, Alfara del Patriarca, Spain
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Meloni E, Le Maréchal C, Millot F, Payne A, Calenge C, Mazuet C, Chemaly M, Rouxel S, Poezevara T, Avouac A, Plaquin B, Guillemain M, Richomme C, Decors A. Exposure of waterfowl to Clostridium botulinum in France. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2023.1011555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Botulism in wild birds is a widespread and potentially lethal disease raising major conservation issues. Botulism is also of public health concern. Due to the action of botulinum neurotoxins, mostly produced by Clostridium botulinum, botulism can affect wild birds, livestock, and humans. This study is part of a project aimed at improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of botulism in wild avifauna, which is still poorly understood. Indeed, the prevalence and dynamics of C. botulinum in the digestive tract or in bird tissue, whether as intermittent carriage related to environmental contamination or as part of the normal avian microbiota, is still unknown. In this study, we specifically addressed the presence of a healthy carrier status of wild birds, and its role in outbreaks. To answer this question, we monitored the estimated prevalence of C. botulinum in wild birds through samples from banded and swabbed birds as well as from hunted bird organs. Our results do not support the hypothesis of a healthy carriage outside of outbreaks, which raises the question of the bioavailability of the bacterium and toxin in the environment. Finally, the gene encoding botulinum neurotoxin type E was detected in keel muscle from a hunted bird, showing that recommendations on the consumption of wild bird meat are needed following a botulism outbreak.
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Specific Isolation of Clostridium botulinum Group I Cells by Phage Lysin Cell Wall Binding Domain with the Aid of S-Layer Disruption. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158391. [PMID: 35955526 PMCID: PMC9368847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium botulinum is a notorious pathogen that raises health and food safety concerns by producing the potent botulinum neurotoxin and causing botulism, a potentially fatal neuroparalytic disease in humans and animals. Efficient methods for the identification and isolation of C. botulinum are warranted for laboratory diagnostics of botulism and for food safety risk assessment. The cell wall binding domains (CBD) of phage lysins are recognized by their high specificity and affinity to distinct types of bacteria, which makes them promising for the development of diagnostic tools. We previously identified CBO1751, which is the first antibotulinal phage lysin showing a lytic activity against C. botulinum Group I. In this work, we assessed the host specificity of the CBD of CBO1751 and tested its feasibility as a probe for the specific isolation of C. botulinum Group I strains. We show that the CBO1751 CBD specifically binds to C. botulinum Group I sensu lato (including C. sporogenes) strains. We also demonstrate that some C. botulinum Group I strains possess an S-layer, the disruption of which by an acid glycine treatment is required for efficient binding of the CBO1751 CBD to the cells of these strains. We further developed CBO1751 CBD-based methods using flow cytometry and magnetic separation to specifically isolate viable cells of C. botulinum Group I. These methods present potential for applications in diagnostics and risk assessment in order to control the botulism hazard.
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Silva-Andrade C, Martin AJ, Garrido D. Comparative Genomics of Clostridium baratii Reveals Strain-Level Diversity in Toxin Abundance. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020213. [PMID: 35208668 PMCID: PMC8879937 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium baratii strains are rare opportunistic pathogens associated with botulism intoxication. They have been isolated from foods, soil and be carried asymptomatically or cause botulism outbreaks. Is not taxonomically related to Clostridium botulinum, but some strains are equipped with BoNT/F7 cluster. Despite their relationship with diseases, our knowledge regarding the genomic features and phylogenetic characteristics is limited. We analyzed the pangenome of C. baratii to understand the diversity and genomic features of this species. We compared existing genomes in public databases, metagenomes, and one newly sequenced strain isolated from an asymptomatic subject. The pangenome was open, indicating it comprises genetically diverse organisms. The core genome contained 28.49% of the total genes of the pangenome. Profiling virulence factors confirmed the presence of phospholipase C in some strains, a toxin capable of disrupting eukaryotic cell membranes. Furthermore, the genomic analysis indicated significant horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events as defined by the presence of prophage genomes. Seven strains were equipped with BoNT/F7 cluster. The active site was conserved in all strains, identifying a missing 7-aa region upstream of the active site in C. baratii genomes. This analysis could be important to advance our knowledge regarding opportunistic clostridia and better understand their contribution to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Silva-Andrade
- Laboratorio de Biología de Redes, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580000, Chile;
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Alberto J. Martin
- Laboratorio de Biología de Redes, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580000, Chile;
- Correspondence: (A.J.M.); (D.G.)
| | - Daniel Garrido
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
- Correspondence: (A.J.M.); (D.G.)
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Current Developments in Diagnostic Assays for Laboratory Confirmation and Investigation of Botulism. J Clin Microbiol 2021; 60:e0013920. [PMID: 34586891 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00139-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection of botulinum neurotoxin or isolation of the toxin producing organism is required for the laboratory confirmation of botulism in clinical specimens. In an effort to reduce animal testing required by the gold standard method of botulinum neurotoxin detection, the mouse bioassay, many technologies have been developed to detect and characterize the causative agent of botulism. Recent advancements in these technologies have led to improvements in technical performance of diagnostic assays; however, many emerging assays have not been validated for the detection of all serotypes in complex clinical and environmental matrices. Improvements to culture protocols, endopeptidase-based assays, and a variety of immunological and molecular methods have provided laboratories with a variety of testing options to evaluate and incorporate into their testing algorithms. While significant advances have been made to improve these assays, additional work is necessary to evaluate these methods in various clinical matrices and to establish standardized criteria for data analysis and interpretation.
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Souillard R, Grosjean D, Le Gratiet T, Poezevara T, Rouxel S, Balaine L, Macé S, Martin L, Anniballi F, Chemaly M, Le Bouquin S, Le Maréchal C. Asymptomatic Carriage of C. botulinum Type D/C in Broiler Flocks as the Source of Contamination of a Massive Botulism Outbreak on a Dairy Cattle Farm. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:679377. [PMID: 34276611 PMCID: PMC8279769 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.679377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In winter 2018, a massive type D/C cattle botulism outbreak occurred on a mixed dairy and broiler farm in France. An investigation was conducted based on the hypothesis of asymptomatic carriage in poultry. We set out to identify the source of contamination of the dairy cattle and to monitor the contamination of broilers over time, including the hatchery delivering chicks to the farm. Environmental samples were collected on the farm during the cattle outbreak (n = 40), after the outbreak for three successive broiler flocks (n = 128), and once in the hatchery delivering the chicks (n = 58). These samples were analyzed using real-time PCR after an enrichment step to detect Clostridium botulinum type D/C. The results showed contamination in the manure from the broilers raised just before the onset of the cattle outbreak (5 + /5), as well as in some of the components of the cattle ration (3 + /17). This latter contamination is likely due to the use of the same tractor bucket to remove litter from the poultry house and to prepare the cattle ration on the same day. Contamination monitoring over several months revealed continuous asymptomatic carriage in the broilers (4 + /20 and 17 + /20 cloacal swabs in 2 successive flocks), a persistence of C. botulinum type D/C in the ventilation system of the poultry house (8 + /14), and contamination of the equipment coming from the hatchery used for delivering the chicks (3 + /18). Further investigations conducted in the hatchery demonstrated contamination in the hatchery by C. botulinum type D/C (6 + /58). Comparison of samples using a multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis showed the same profile for samples collected on broilers, cattle and in the hatchery. This study highlighted the crucial role of the implementation of biosecurity measures in mixed farms to avoid cross-contamination between production units given the potential asymptomatic carriage of poultry. This study also revealed the contamination of the poultry hatchery. Further investigations are required to better understand the role of hatcheries in the epidemiology of animal botulism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozenn Souillard
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Epidemiology, Health and Welfare Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Daniel Grosjean
- DDCSPP de la Meuse, Departmental Authority in Charge of Veterinary Services for Meuse Department, Bar-le-Duc, France
| | - Thibault Le Gratiet
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Typhaine Poezevara
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Sandra Rouxel
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Loïc Balaine
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Epidemiology, Health and Welfare Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Sabrina Macé
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Laure Martin
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Fabrizio Anniballi
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, National Reference Centre for Botulism, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marianne Chemaly
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Sophie Le Bouquin
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Epidemiology, Health and Welfare Unit, Ploufragan, France
| | - Caroline Le Maréchal
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, Ploufragan, France
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Guan Z, Goldfine H. Lipid diversity in clostridia. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2021; 1866:158966. [PMID: 33974975 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2021.158966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Studies of the lipidomes of twenty-one species of clostridia have revealed considerable diversity. Even among those species now defined as Clostridium sensu stricto, which are related to Clostridium butyricum, the type species, lipid analysis has shown that a number of distinct clades have characteristic polar lipids. All species of Clostridium sensu stricto have phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin which are present as all acyl or alk-1'-enyl acyl (plasmalogen) species. In addition, almost every clade has specialized polar lipids. For example, the group closely related to Clostridium beijerinckii and several other solventogenic species has glycerol acetals of plasmenylethanolamine, which protects the membrane bilayer arrangement when the lipids are highly unsaturated or in the presence of solvents. The group related to Clostridium novyi has aminoacyl-phosphatidylglycerol, which protects these pathogens from cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) of innate immunity. Clostridium botulinum species, which fall into several groups, align with these clades, and have the same specific lipids. This review will present the current state of knowledge on clostridial lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqiang Guan
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States of America
| | - Howard Goldfine
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America.
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Souillard R, LE Marechal C, Balaine L, Rouxel S, Poezevara T, Ballan V, Chemaly M, LE Bouquin S. Manure contamination with Clostridium botulinum after avian botulism outbreaks: management and potential risk of dissemination. Vet Rec 2020; 187:233. [PMID: 32586970 DOI: 10.1136/vr.105898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Persistence of Clostridium botulinum in the environment is well known. Getting rid of it after animal botulism outbreaks is so tricky, especially as far as manure concerns. This study aimed at 1. describing manure management on 10 poultry farms affected by botulism and 2. assessing the persistence of C botulinum in poultry manure after the outbreak. METHODS Each farm was visited twice at two different manure storage times (two weeks after manure removal and two months later). Fifteen samples of manure were collected on each visit and C botulinum was detected using real-time PCR. RESULTS Management of manure varied among poultry farms (classical storage, addition of quicklime, bacterial flora or incineration). C botulinum was detected in the manure of all 10 farms, 56.5per cent of samples being positive. C botulinum was detected significantly more frequently at the second visit (65.8per cent vs 49.7per cent, P<0.01) and on the surface of the pile (63.1per cent vs 50per cent, P=0.025). CONCLUSION This study shows the persistence of C botulinum in poultry manure over time after a botulism outbreak and highlights manure management as a key health issue in preventing spore dissemination in the environment and recurrence of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozenn Souillard
- Epidemiology, Health and Welfare Unit, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Ploufragan, France
| | - Caroline LE Marechal
- Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Ploufragan, France
| | - Loic Balaine
- Epidemiology, Health and Welfare Unit, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Ploufragan, France
| | - Sandra Rouxel
- Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Ploufragan, France
| | - Typhaine Poezevara
- Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Ploufragan, France
| | - Valentine Ballan
- Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Ploufragan, France
| | - Marianne Chemaly
- Hygiene and Quality of Poultry and Pig Products Unit, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Ploufragan, France
| | - Sophie LE Bouquin
- Epidemiology, Health and Welfare Unit, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, Ploufragan, France
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