Current status and development trend of botulinum antitoxin

Botulism is a rare, potentially fatal disease caused by botulinum toxin, a strongest biotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum antitoxin is the only specific treatment for botulism. Early administration of botulinum antitoxin is essential for the therapeutic effect of botulism. At present, almost all the approved botulinum antitoxins are equine plasma derived products, which have the potential risk of adverse reactions, including allergic reactions. This paper summarizes the current status of production technique, quality control and clinical application of botulinum antitoxin both at home and abroad, and introduce the application prospect of botulinum antitoxin.