Bacillus cytotoxicus-A potentially virulent food-associated microbe.

Bacillus cytotoxicus is a member of the Bacillus cereus group with the ability to grow at high temperatures (up to 52℃) and to synthesize cytotoxin K-1, a diarrhoeagenic cytotoxin, which appears to be unique to this species and more cytotoxic than the cytotoxin K-2 produced by other members of this group. Only a few isolates of this species have been characterized with regard to their cytotoxic effects, and the role of cytotoxin K-1 as a causative agent of food poisoning remains largely unclear. Bacillus cytotoxicus was initially isolated from a food-borne outbreak, which led to three deaths, and the organism has since been linked to other outbreaks all involving plant-based food matrices.

Characterization of Clostridium botulinum strains associated with an infant botulism case in the United Kingdom.

The sixth case of infant botulism in the United Kingdom was reported in 2001. The case was caused by a type B strain of Clostridium botulinum. Strains of C.