Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0038379 (strabismus)
 9,317 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Clostridium botulinum, a Gram-positive, anaerobic spore-forming bacteria, is distinguished by its significant clinical applications as well as its potential to be used as bioterror agent. Growing cells secrete botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), the most poisonous of all known poisons. While BoNT is the causative agent of deadly neuroparalytic botulism, it also serves as a remarkably effective treatment for involuntary muscle disorders such as blepharospasm, strabismus, hemifacial spasm, certain types of spasticity in children, and other ailments. BoNT is also used in cosmetology for the treatment of glabellar lines, and is well-known as the active component of the anti-aging medications Botox and Dysport. In addition, recent reports show that botulinum neurotoxin can be used as a tool for pharmaceutical drug delivery. However, BoNT remains the deadliest of all toxins, and is viewed by biodefense researchers as a possible agent of bioterrorism (BT). Among seven serotypes, C. botulinum type A is responsible for the highest mortality rate in botulism, and thus has the greatest potential to act as biological weapon. Genome sequencing of C. botulinum type A Hall strain (ATCC 3502) is now complete, and has shown the genome size to be 3.89 Mb with a G+C content of approximately 28.2%. The bacterium harbors a 16.3 kb plasmid with a 26.8% G+C content--slightly lower than that of the chromosome. Most of the virulence factors in C. botulinum are chromosomally encoded; bioinformatic analysis of the genome sequence has shown that the plasmid does not harbor toxin genes or genes for related virulence factors. Interestingly, the plasmid does harbor genes essential to replication, including dnaE, which encodes the alpha subunit of DNA polymerase III which has close similarity with its counterpart in C. perfringens strain 13. The plasmid also contains similar genes to those that encode the ABC-type multidrug transport ATPase, and permease. The presence of ABC-type multidrug transport ATPase, and permease suggests putative involvement of efflux pumps in bacteriocin production, modification, and export in C. botulinum. The C. botulinum plasmid additionally harbors genes for LambdaBa04 prophage and site-specific recombinase that are similar to those found in the Ames strain of Bacillus anthracis; these genes and their products may play a role in genomic rearrangement. Completion of genome sequencing for C. botulinum will provide an opportunity to design genomic and proteomic-based systems for detecting different serotypes of C. botulinum strains in the environment. The completed sequence may also facilitate identification of potential virulence factors and drug targets, as well as help characterize neurotoxin-complexing proteins, their polycistronic expression, and phylogenetic relationships between different serotypes.
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PMID:Clostridium botulinum: a bug with beauty and weapon. 1583 1

Botulinum toxin (BTX), a neurotoxin produced by the gram-positive, rod-shaped anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum, was isolated in 1897 by Belgian scientist Professor Pierre Emile van Ermengem. BTX acts by blocking the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. As a result of this chemodenervation, a temporary flaccid paralysis ensues. Different medical disciplines have taken advantage of this temporary paralysis to treat muscular hypercontraction. BTX was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1989 for use in patients with strabismus and blepharospasm. Since then, BTX has been used to treat a number of different neuromuscular disorders. Although not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, BTX has been used successfully in urology to treat neurogenic and non-neurogenic detrusor overactivity, detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia, motor and sensory urge, and chronic pain syndromes.
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PMID:Urologic applications of botox. 1623 14

Since its introduction in the late 1970s for the treatment of strabismus and blepharospasm, botulinum toxin (BoNT) has been increasingly used in the interventional treatment of several other disorders characterized by excessive or inappropriate muscle contractions. Over the years, the number of primary clinical publications has grown exponentially, and still continues to increase. It has been shown that BoNT blocks cholinergic nerve endings in the autonomic nervous system but does not block non-adrenergic non-cholinergic responses mediated by nitric oxide (NO). The present paper reviews a number of recent clinical indications for urological and pelvic floor dysfunctions, such as overactive and neurogenic bladder, non-bacterial prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic anal fissure, or conditions associated to hyperactivity of the puborectalis muscle during straining. These indications provide a new promising palette of indications for future usage of BoNT in clinical practice.
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PMID:Management of bladder, prostatic and pelvic floor disorders. 1678 14

Since its development for the use of blepharospasm and strabismus more than 2.5 decades ago, botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) has become a versatile drug in various fields of medicine. It is the standard of care in different disorders such as cervical dystonia, hemifacial spasm, focal spasticity, hyperhidrosis, ophthalmological and otolaryngeal disorders. It has also found widespread use in cosmetic applications. Many other indications are currently under investigation, including gastroenterologic and urologic indications, analgesic management and migraine. This paper is an extensive review of the spectrum of BoNT clinical applications.
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PMID:Botulinum toxin: clinical use. 1687 Apr 87

Introduced over 30 years ago for the treatment of strabismus and blepharospasm, botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) now has established uses for various therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Although remarkably safe and effective, BTX-A is a potent toxin. Complications can occur, particularly when used by the inexperienced injectors. Through knowledge of its mechanism of action and effect and careful attention to dosing and technique can minimize the risk of more serious adverse events.
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PMID:Complications of botulinum toxin type A. 1731 55

This article comprises a historic description of botulinum toxin (BTX) as a therapeutic substance. The first therapeutic application of BTX injections in humans took place in 1979. It was hoped that surgery for strabismus could be avoided with injections to outer ocular muscles. It was however the positive results in the 1990s against focal dystoniae such as blepharospasm, spasmodic torticollis, and hemifacial spasm that led to broader acceptance of the substance beyond the scope of neurology. Since then BTX has been suggested for therapy of more than 50 indications. Approved mass indications were found in neurology for spasticity and cerebral palsy, in dermatology for focal hyperhidrosis, and in cosmetic medicine for treatment of skin wrinkles. The groundwork has been proceeding for some time pertaining to its approval for further uses in pain therapy and urology.
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PMID:[Botulinum toxin. Development for therapeutic purposes]. 1892 57

The use of botulinum toxin (BoNT) is well established in medical practice. The application of BoNT extends over many indications such as strabismus, blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, and others. Another indication for the use of BoNT type A is the masseteric muscle hypertrophy to obtain a lower facial contouring. Authors report the treatment of 5 patients with intramuscular injection of BoNT. A high degree of patient and physician satisfaction was noted after the treatment. Authors concluded that BoNT type A can safely be considered as a noninvasive drug treatment for patients with MMH.
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PMID:Lower facial contouring with botulinum toxin type A. 1909 63

Botulism is a severe neuroparalytic disease caused by toxins produced by several Clostridium species. Botulinum toxin has been of concern to the US military and its allies as a biowarfare weapon since World War II and, in more recent times, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a potential bioterrorist threat to the public. The most effective means of defending against the toxin is by inducing a protective immune response through vaccination. Vaccination with an appropriate antigen will produce neutralizing antibodies that will bind to and clear toxin from the circulation before it can enter nerve cells and block neurotransmission. Immunity from botulism, however, has the disadvantage of precluding an individual from realizing the potential benefits of therapeutic botulinum toxin, if such a need were to arise. Botulinum toxin has been used in the treatment of numerous neuromuscular, autonomic, and sensory disorders since it was first approved for the management of strabismus and blepharospasm by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1989. Notwithstanding the value of the neurotoxin as a therapeutic drug, vaccines have been and will continue to be an important line of defense for those who work with the toxin (at-risk workers) and a select population of the military, law enforcement, and first responders. The first vaccine used to protect against botulinum neurotoxin was a chemically detoxified extract from Clostridium botulinum. A Pentavalent botulinum toxoid (PBT) vaccine in service today is administered under an Investigational New Drug (IND) application held by the CDC. Recombinant subunit vaccines are in development and a bivalent H(c) vaccine (rBV A/B (Pichia pastoris)) is presently being evaluated in a phase II clinical trial. This review focuses on botulism and the development of vaccines for its prevention.
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PMID:Botulism and vaccines for its prevention. 1983 83

Since its initial approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 20 years ago for the treatment of strabismus, hemifacial spasm, and blepharospasm in adults, botulinum toxin (BTX) has become one of the most frequently requested products in cosmetic rejuvenation around the world. After years of clinical success and consistent safety in the upper face, the use of BTX has expanded and evolved to include increasingly complicated indications. In the hands of adept injectors, the focus has shifted from the treatment of individual dynamic rhytides to shaping, contouring, and sculpting, alone or in combination with other cosmetic procedures, to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the face. Although recent reports have questioned the safety of BTX, 25 years of therapeutic and over 20 years of cosmetic use has demonstrated an impressive record of safety and efficacy when used appropriately by experienced injectors.
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PMID:Botulinum toxin in facial rejuvenation: an update. 2109 50

Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A), a purified protein derived from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, has been widely used in aesthetic dermatology. Though BTX-A was initially used by neurologists extensively for neurological conditions such as blepharospasm, strabismus headaches, dystonia and spasticity, it has become popular among dermatologists and plastic surgeons for its cosmetic indications. Its use in pregnancy has been controversial and this article deals with the issues of use of BTX-A in pregnancy.
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PMID:Controversy: botulinum toxin in pregnancy. 2030 Mar 63


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