Category Research project
  • Mikrobiologie

One Health approach to investigate Botulinum neurotoxin--producing bacteria contamination levels from farm to fork

Project status
In Progress
Project start
Feb 2025
Project end
Jan 2027
Acronym
One Health Botulism
Department
Biologische Sicherheit

Description and Objective

A recent publication describes a human botulism outbreak via consumption of a commercially produced chicken dish containing a new botulinum neurotoxin C (BoNT/C) variant. This is of concern, because the same variant was detected last year in a French botulism outbreak in a pig fattening farm. Although pigs often carry spores of BoNT-producing clostridia, they are usually not susceptible to botulism. Another concern is the increased detection of isolates not belonging to clostridial species, but carrying genes for BoNT-like protein production, which potentially show activity against human neurons. The goal of the project is the first EU-wide monitoring using a one-health-approach to investigate the prevalence of BoNT-producing organisms. The project will focus on Clostridium (C.) botulinum group III isolates, which might carry genes for the new BoNT/C variant. Other non-clostridial species with related genes are also of interest. Samples will be taken from livestock holding farms, soils that have been treated with manure and foods. The data derived from this monitoring shall facilitate assessment of the botulism risk, with focus on the new epidemiological situation. Collected isolates from positive samples might give insights regarding new strategies for the elimination or reduction of the botulism risk.
Type of project

Third-party funded project

Areas of research

Gesundheit von Mensch, Tier und Umwelt (One Health)

Organisational units and partners

Lead unit: Bakterielle Toxine, Gemeinschaftsverpflegung (44)
External partner: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety , Italian National Institute of Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit

Funding body and grant number

Europäische Behörde für Lebensmittelsicherheit
GP/EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority/ENREL/2022/03-SA10

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