Kinetics of growth and toxigenicity of Clostridium botulinum in experimental wound botulism.

An animal model of wound botulism was developed in mice using an inoculum of Clostridium botulinum type A spores. The number of C. botulinum in infected wounds was quantitated by culturing on egg yolk agar, and the level of C. botulinum toxin in infected wound tissue was measured by a bioassay in mice and by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All infected mice receiving no further treatment developed neuroparalytic symptoms consistent with botulism after an incubation period of ca. 48 h, and all of these animals died. Serotherapy with C. botulinum type A antitoxin initiated 24 h postchallenge reduced the mortality rate to 5%. Treatment with metronidazole 2 to 24 h postchallenge resulted in recovery rates of 40 to 91%.