Botulism

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Facts About Botulism
Botulism: Disease Information
From the Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, NCID, CDC
Video: "The History of Bioterrorism: Botulism"
Describes the threat of botulism as a weapon of bioterrorism
Dec 23, 2003

Sentinel Laboratory Guidelines for Suspected Agents of Bioterrorism: Botulinum Toxin (150 KB/4 pages)
NOTE: Protocols for sentinel laboratories are no longer posted on the CDC website. The American Society for Microbiology has agreed to take the lead in the development & dissemination of sentinel laboratory information. Information for reference laboratories will continue to be available on the Laboratory Response Network secure website (for questions, e-mail lrn@cdc.gov; tollfree HelpDesk 1-866-LRN-LABS [1-866-576-5227]). The CDC subject matter experts on individual organisms remain available for discussion as always.

MMWR: Wound Botulism - California, 1995
MMWR December 8, 1995 / Vol. 44 / No. 48
MMWR: Foodborne Botulism - Oklahoma, 1994
MMWR March 24, 1995 / Vol. 44 / No. 11
Angulo FJ, St. Louis ME. Botulism. In: Evans AS, Brachman PS, eds. Bacterial Infections of Humans. New York: Plenum, 1998:131-53.
Angulo FJ, Getz J, Taylor JP, et al. A large outbreak of botulism: the hazardous baked potato. J Infect Dis; 178: 172-7.
Shapiro RL, Hatheway C, Becher J, Swerdlow DL. Botulism surveillance and emergency response: a public health strategy for a global challenge. JAMA 1997; 278: 433-5.
Shapiro RL, Hatheway C, Swerdlow DL. Botulism in the United States: A clinical and epidemiologic review. Ann Intern Med 1998;129:221-8.
Sobel J. Botulism. Clin Infect Dis 2005;41:1167-73.

Communicating in the First Hours: Botulism
The First Hours project provides messages and other resources for federal, state, local, and tribal public health officials to use during a response to an emergency. Developed by CDC in collaboration with the Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
MMWR: Recognition of Illness Associated with the Intentional Release of a Biologic Agent
MMWR 2001 Oct 19;50(41):893-897.
(168 KB/20 pages)
Bioterrorism Readiness Plan: A Template for Healthcare Facilities (1.5 MB/34 pages)
See Section II: Agent-Specific Recommendations, Botulism; pages 16-18.
Botulinum Toxin as a Biological Weapon: Medical and Public Health Management
JAMA 2001;285(8):1059-1070.
EID Journal: Endemic, Notifiable Bioterrorism-Related Diseases, United States, 1992-1999
Emerging Infectious Diseases 2003 May;9(5):556-564.
EID Journal: Use of Automated Ambulatory-Care Encounter Records for Detection of Acute Illness Clusters, Including Potential Bioterrorism Events
Emerging Infectious Diseases 2002 Aug;8(8):753-760.