Epidemiological aspects and diagnosis of botulism in waterfowl

ABSTRACT Clostridium botulinum is a strictly anaerobic spore-forming bacterium found in soil and sediments, producing botulinum neurotoxins that cause botulism. Type C botulism spores are widely present in wetland sediments and can even be found in tissues of the inhabitants of these environments. The spores germinate in conditions of a lack of oxygen, high temperatures, and the presence of a decomposing organic source, in addition to the presence of a bacteriophage that carries the gene for toxin production. Botulism in waterfowl is mainly caused by C. botulinum type C, and the standard laboratory diagnosis for toxin detection is serum neutralization in mice. However, we tested the application of polymerase chain reaction for the detection and typing of C. botulinum type C with success in three samples from birds.