Deadliest substance known to man

A new type of Botox is so deadly that scientists are withholding the DNA sequence because there is no known antidote.

As you know, the injectable form of Botox (Botulinum toxin A), which is favored by image-conscience women, is derived from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism — a rare and potentially deadly paralytic illness in humans.

According to The NY Post, this is the first time the scientific community has withheld the DNA sequence information for Botox out of concern for the public’s safety.

There are 7 forms of botulinum toxins known to man — type A through G. Type A botulinum (Botox) is the form that is injected in very tiny amounts into the faces of females to plump up their lips or to diminish wrinkles.

But recently scientists discovered an eighth, even deadlier type of botulinum toxin — Type H — in the feces of a child who was suffering from botulism. There are antidotes to treat the seven Botulinum toxins type A through G. But there is no known antidote for Type H Botox.

For this reason, it has been dubbed the “deadliest substance known to man.”

If released into the city’s water supply — in even tiny amounts — it could kill thousands of people.

From The NY Post:

New Scientist reports that just 2 billionths of a gram, or inhaling 13 billionths of a gram, of the protein botulinum produced by the soil bacterium Clostridium botulinum will kill an adult.

The toxin blocks the release of acetylcholine, the chemical secreted by nerves that makes muscles work. People who accidentally ingest it, as can happen when the bacteria grows in food, develop botulism and often die of paralysis.

“Because no antitoxins as yet have been developed to counteract the novel C. Botulinum toxin, the authors had detailed consultations with representatives from numerous appropriate US government agencies,” editors of the Journal of Infectious Diseases said.

Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo tried to release Botulinum in downtown Tokyo in the 1990s.