what is true regarding the toxin that causes botulism?
Clostridium botulinum is ubiquitous in nature, often found in soil and water. Although the bacteria and spores alone do not cause disease, their production of botulinum toxin renders them pathogenic. Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin that causes botulism, a serious paralytic condition that can lead to death. There are seven strains of C. botulinum, each distinguished by its production of a serologically distinct botulinum type (CDC 2014).