- Matthew Salzman: Department of Emergency Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 W. Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
The term toxin refers in a specific way to a toxic substance of biologic origin; that is, a true toxin is a poison produced by a living organism. The purpose of this article is to review some of the most potentially dangerous toxins of concern today. Mechanisms of action, routes of exposure, diagnostic tools, and treatment recommendations are addressed. In addition, current therapeutic uses for certain toxins are discussed.