Toxicology Lecture 2 – Bacterial toxins
4.5 Toxins
4.5.1 History
Toxicant; any chemical capable of causing a deleterious effect on living organism.
Toxin; toxicant that is produced by a living organism.
All toxins are toxicants, but not all toxicants are toxins.
Natural toxins are; bacteria, fungi, algae, cyanobacteria (blauwalg), animals and
plants.
4.5.2 Microbial toxins → bacteria
Microbial toxins; toxic substances produced by microorganisms that are of high
molecular weight and have antigenic properties.
4.5.3 Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are found in food or in the feed (voer) of domestic animals (huisdieren)
4.5.4 Algal toxins
Algal toxins are defined to represent the array chemicals (matrixchemicalien) derived
from cyanobacteria.
The toxins produced by this water organisms often accumulate (ophopen) in fish
inhabiting the surrounding waters, causing both human and animals’ poisonings as
well as overt fish kill
4.5.5 Plant toxins
Plant toxins are produced to prevent plant from being eaten.
4.5.6 Animal toxins
Animals toxins are produced to;
• Protect to predation (poisonous → protection)
• Attack other animals (venous → kill)
Food infection (voedselinfectie);
• Cause micro-organism (bacteria start growing in your body
• Symptoms 6-8 hours till few days
• Duration is long
Food poisoning (voedselvergiftiging)
• Cause is toxin, produced by bacteria (bacteria start already growing in the
food)
• Symptoms within 6 hours
• Duration is short
Exposure to pathogens (microbes that cause
disease), they go in the skin; infection
1. Toxicity; toxin effects are local
2. Invasiveness; further growth at original and distant sites
4.5 Toxins
4.5.1 History
Toxicant; any chemical capable of causing a deleterious effect on living organism.
Toxin; toxicant that is produced by a living organism.
All toxins are toxicants, but not all toxicants are toxins.
Natural toxins are; bacteria, fungi, algae, cyanobacteria (blauwalg), animals and
plants.
4.5.2 Microbial toxins → bacteria
Microbial toxins; toxic substances produced by microorganisms that are of high
molecular weight and have antigenic properties.
4.5.3 Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are found in food or in the feed (voer) of domestic animals (huisdieren)
4.5.4 Algal toxins
Algal toxins are defined to represent the array chemicals (matrixchemicalien) derived
from cyanobacteria.
The toxins produced by this water organisms often accumulate (ophopen) in fish
inhabiting the surrounding waters, causing both human and animals’ poisonings as
well as overt fish kill
4.5.5 Plant toxins
Plant toxins are produced to prevent plant from being eaten.
4.5.6 Animal toxins
Animals toxins are produced to;
• Protect to predation (poisonous → protection)
• Attack other animals (venous → kill)
Food infection (voedselinfectie);
• Cause micro-organism (bacteria start growing in your body
• Symptoms 6-8 hours till few days
• Duration is long
Food poisoning (voedselvergiftiging)
• Cause is toxin, produced by bacteria (bacteria start already growing in the
food)
• Symptoms within 6 hours
• Duration is short
Exposure to pathogens (microbes that cause
disease), they go in the skin; infection
1. Toxicity; toxin effects are local
2. Invasiveness; further growth at original and distant sites
