Infectious agent involved in botulism poisoning and characteristics of the agents?

The infectious agent involved in botulism poisoning is the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium produces a potent neurotoxin called botulinum toxin, which is responsible for the symptoms of botulism. Botulinum toxin is one of the most toxic substances known to man, and even small amounts can cause severe illness or death.

Clostridium botulinum is a spore-forming bacterium that is commonly found in soil and can survive in low-oxygen environments. The spores can germinate and produce toxin under certain conditions, such as in improperly canned or preserved foods. There are several different strains of Clostridium botulinum, each producing a slightly different form of the toxin, but all are capable of causing botulism.