Editing Clostridium botulinum (section)

== Use and detection ==
''C. botulinum'' is used to prepare the medicaments [[Botox]], [[Dysport]], [[Xeomin]], and [[Neurobloc]] used to selectively paralyze muscles to temporarily relieve muscle function. It has other "[[off-label]]" medical purposes, such as treating severe facial pain, such as that caused by [[trigeminal neuralgia]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Guardiani E, Sadoughi B, Blitzer A, Sirois D | title = A new treatment paradigm for trigeminal neuralgia using Botulinum toxin type A | journal = The Laryngoscope | volume = 124 | issue = 2 | pages = 413–417 | date = February 2014 | pmid = 23818108 | doi = 10.1002/lary.24286 }}</ref>

[[Botulin toxin|Botulinum toxin]] produced by ''C. botulinum'' is often believed to be a potential [[bioweapon]] as it is so potent that it takes about 75 [[nanogram]]s to kill a person ({{LD50}} of 1&nbsp;ng/kg,<ref name="Fleming Biological Safety" /> assuming an average person weighs ~75&nbsp;kg); 1&nbsp;kilogram of it would be enough to kill the [[world population|entire human population]].

A "mouse protection" or "mouse bioassay" test determines the type of ''C. botulinum'' toxin present using [[monoclonal antibody|monoclonal antibodies]]. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ([[ELISA]]) with [[digoxigenin]]-labeled antibodies can also be used to detect the toxin,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sharma SK, Ferreira JL, Eblen BS, Whiting RC | title = Detection of type A, B, E, and F Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins in foods by using an amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with digoxigenin-labeled antibodies | journal = Applied and Environmental Microbiology | volume = 72 | issue = 2 | pages = 1231–1238 | date = February 2006 | pmid = 16461671 | pmc = 1392902 | doi = 10.1128/AEM.72.2.1231-1238.2006 | bibcode = 2006ApEnM..72.1231S | doi-access = free }}</ref> and [[quantitative PCR]] can detect the toxin genes in the organism.<ref name="Satterfield, B. A. 2010" />