Editing Botulinum toxin (section)

===Toxin production===
Botulism toxins are produced by bacteria of the genus ''Clostridium,'' namely ''C.&nbsp;botulinum'', ''[[Clostridium butyricum|C.&nbsp;butyricum]]'', ''[[Clostridium baratii|C.&nbsp;baratii]]'' and ''[[Clostridium argentinense|C.&nbsp;argentinense]],''<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors = Schantz EJ, Johnson EA |title = Properties and use of botulinum toxin and other microbial neurotoxins in medicine |journal = Microbiological Reviews |volume = 56 |issue = 1 |pages = 80–99 |date = March 1992 |pmid = 1579114 |pmc = 372855 |doi = 10.1128/MMBR.56.1.80-99.1992 }}</ref> which are widely distributed, including in soil and dust. Also, the bacteria can be found inside homes on floors, carpet, and countertops even after cleaning.<ref name=CDC2018Gen>{{cite web|title=About Botulism |url=https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/general.html|date=9 October 2018|website=U.S. [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC) |access-date=13 May 2020|archive-date=27 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427164333/https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/general.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Complicating the problem is that the taxonomy for ''C.&nbsp;botulinum'' remains chaotic. The toxin has likely been [[horizontal gene transfer|horizontally transferred]] across lineages, contributing to the multi-species pattern seen today.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors = Poulain B, Popoff MR |title = Why Are Botulinum Neurotoxin-Producing Bacteria So Diverse and Botulinum Neurotoxins So Toxic? |journal = Toxins |volume = 11 |issue = 1 |pages = 34 |date = January 2019 |pmid = 30641949 |pmc = 6357194 |doi = 10.3390/toxins11010034| doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors = Hill KK, Xie G, Foley BT, Smith TJ, Munk AC, Bruce D, Smith LA, Brettin TS, Detter JC |title = Recombination and insertion events involving the botulinum neurotoxin complex genes in Clostridium botulinum types A, B, E and F and Clostridium butyricum type E strains |journal = BMC Biology |volume = 7 |issue = 1 |pages = 66 |date = October 2009 |pmid = 19804621 |pmc = 2764570 |doi = 10.1186/1741-7007-7-66 |doi-access = free }}</ref>

Food-borne botulism results, indirectly, from ingestion of food contaminated with ''Clostridium'' spores, where exposure to an [[hypoxia (environmental)|anaerobic environment]] allows the spores to germinate, after which the bacteria can multiply and produce toxin.<ref name=CDC2018Gen/> Critically, ingestion of toxin rather than spores or vegetative bacteria causes [[botulism]].<ref name=CDC2018Gen/> Botulism is nevertheless known to be transmitted through canned foods not cooked correctly before canning or after can opening, so is preventable.<ref name=CDC2018Gen/> Infant botulism arising from consumption of honey or any other food that can carry these spores can be prevented by eliminating these foods from diets of children less than 12 months old.<ref>{{cite web |title=Botulism |website=U.S. [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC) |date=19 August 2019 |url=https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/ |access-date=28 August 2019 |archive-date=3 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803091921/http://www.cdc.gov/botulism/ |url-status=live }}</ref>