Botulism |
OverviewBotulism is a rare but serious illness caused by the toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. It is one of the most potent toxins known in nature. Food borne botulism affects the nerves and if untreated can cause paralysis and respiratory failure. SymptomsThere are three main kinds of botulism. In food borne botulism symptoms generally begin 12 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food but they can occur as early as six hours or as late as 10 days. The incubation period of intestinal botulism in infants is unknown. The incubation period of wound botulism is longer averaging about 10 days. Symptoms vary depending on the kind of botulism: Food borneInitial symptoms of food borne botulism may include vomiting and/or diarrhea followed by one or more of these:
WoundWound botulism symptoms are similar to food borne symptoms (except there is no vomiting and/or diarrhea). Intestinal (infant and adult)Intestinal botulism affects infants under one year of age almost exclusively but can affect adults who have altered gastro-intestinal anatomy and microflora. The earliest and most frequently observed symptom of infant botulism is constipation followed by:
CausesWound botulism cases may result from contamination of wounds by soil or gravel or injection of illicit intravenous drugs. Intestinal botulism results from ingestion of botulinum spores that then germinate in the colon. Food borne botulism is a severe intoxication resulting from ingestion of preformed toxin present in contaminated food. Often cases of food borne botulism come from home-canned foods with low acid content such as asparagus green beans beets and corn. C. botulinum is anaerobic which means it can survive and grow with little or no oxygen. Therefore it can survive very well in sealed containers. Outbreaks of the infection however are often from more unusual sources such as chili peppers tomatoes and improperly handled baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil. TreatmentIf you are diagnosed early your doctor can treat wound borne and food borne botulism successfully with an antitoxin that blocks the action of the bacterial toxin circulating in the blood. Although antitoxin keeps the disease from becoming worse it will still take many weeks before you recover. Your health care provider may try to remove any contaminated food still in your gut by making you vomit or by giving you an enema. Wounds are treated usually surgically to remove the source of the toxin-producing bacteria. People who develop severe botulism experience breathing failure and paralysis and need to be put on ventilators (breathing machines). If left untreated this illness can cause paralysis of the arms legs trunk and muscles that help with breathing. The paralysis usually improves slowly over several weeks. PreventionWound botulism can be prevented by promptly seeking medical care for infected wounds and by not using injectable street drugs. For food borne and intestinal botulism:
|