Toxin detection in patients' sera by mass spectrometry during two outbreaks of type A Botulism in France.

In two outbreaks of food-borne botulism in France, Clostridium botulinum type A was isolated and characterized from incriminated foods. Botulinum neurotoxin type A was detected in the patients' sera by mouse bioassay and in vitro endopeptidase assay with an immunocapture step and identification of the cleavage products by mass spectrometry.