Susceptibility of mink to Clostridium botulinum type E toxin.

Experiments aiming at elucidation of the toxicity of Clostridium botulinum type E for mink are described. The observations indicate that amounts in the order of 2 x10s intraperitoneal MLD (mice) or approximately 200 MLD per g of type E toxin will kill a mink after oral administration. The symptoms observed in the animals were atypical as there was an unusually short period between administration of the toxin and the onset of symptoms and deaths of the animals. Similar results were obtained when Clostridium botulinum type E toxin was fed to Swiss mice. When mice were protected by subcutaneous injections of type E antitoxin prior to feeding the animals survived without showing any symptoms. Subcutaneous injection of type E toxin in amounts of the order of 2 x10s intraperitoneal MLD (mice) killed mink, and typical symptoms of botulism were observed. This quantity corresponds to ap-proximately 2 intraperitoneal MLD (mice) per g. Comparison is made with previous observations obtained in similar experiments made with Clostridium botulinum type C toxin. It is shown that mink arc substantially less susceptible to type E than to type C toxin when the toxins are given by mouth. On this basis previous results in reports on outbreaks of botulism in mink caused by Clostridium botulinum type E may be regarded as questionable.