The story of Clostridium botulinum: from food poisoning to Botox

Abstract

In the last fifty years, Clostridium botulinum has become notorious for its ability to produce the deadly botulinum neurotoxins. While botulinum toxin A, better known as Botox™, is universally recognised by the public as a cosmetic enhancement tool, the botulinum neurotoxins are commonly used off-label for many medical conditions in ophthalmology, neurology and dermatology. The versatility of these botulinum toxins has made Clostridium botulinum one of the most widely known bacterial pathogens in medical history. This article outlines the discovery of botulinum toxins through to their present day applications in medicine.