What is botulism?
Botulism is a serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin
that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The
bacteria may enter the body by ingestion of improperly canned or
preserved food or through wounds.
What are the causes?
Clostridium is found in soil and untreated water throughout the
world. It produces spores that survive in improperly preserved or
canned food, where they produce toxin. When eaten, even minute
amounts of this toxin can lead to severe poisoning. The foods most
commonly contaminated are home-canned vegetables, pork, smoked or
raw fish, and honey. Botulism may also occur if the organism
enters open wounds and produces toxin there.
There are three main kinds of botulism:
1. Foodborne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the
botulism toxin.
2. Wound botulism is caused by toxin produced from a wound
infected with Clostridium botulinum.
3. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of the
botulinum bacteria, which then grow in the intestines and release
toxin. The most common cause of infant botulism is from the
ingestion of honey. Clostridium also occurs normally in the stool
of some infants.
All forms of botulism can be fatal and are considered medical
emergencies. Foodborne botulism can be especially dangerous
because many people can be poisoned by eating contaminated food.
What are the symptoms?
* difficulty swallowing and speaking
* progressive weakness with paralysis
* nausea, vomiting
* abdominal cramps
* dry mouth
* double vision
* breathing difficulty that may lead to respiratory failure
no fever, usually
In infants: constipation, weakness, loss of muscle tone, weak cry,
poor feeding and weak sucking, respiratory distress may occur.
Symptoms usually appear between 8 to 36 hours after consuming
contaminated food, but they can occur as early as 6 hours or as
late as 10 days.
How is it diagnosed?
The tests may include a brain scan, spinal fluid examination,
nerve conduction test (electromyography, or EMG), and a tensilon
test for myasthenia gravis. The most direct way to confirm the
diagnosis is to demonstrate the botulinum toxin in the patient's
serum or stool by injecting serum or stool into mice and looking
for signs of botulism. The bacteria can also be isolated from the
stool of persons with foodborne and infant botulism.
What is the treatment?
The respiratory failure and paralysis that occur with severe
botulism may require a patient to be on a breathing machine
(ventilator) for weeks, in addition to intensive medical and
nursing care. After several weeks, the paralysis slowly improves.
If diagnosed early, foodborne and wound botulism can be treated
with an antitoxin blocks that the action of toxin circulating in
the blood. This can prevent patients from worsening, but recovery
still takes many weeks. Physicians may try to remove contaminated
food still in the gut by inducing vomiting or by using enemas.
Wounds should be treated, usually surgically, to remove the source
of the toxin-producing bacteria. Good supportive care in a
hospital is the mainstay of therapy for all forms of botulism.
Currently, antitoxin is not routinely given for treatment of
infant botulism.
What are the complications?
Botulism can result in death due to respiratory failure. However,
in the past 50 years the proportion of patients with botulism who
die has fallen significantly. A patient with severe botulism may
require a breathing machine as well as intensive medical and
nursing care for several months. Patients who survive an episode
of botulism poisoning may have fatigue and shortness of breath for
years and long-term therapy may be needed to aid recovery.
What is the prevention?
Botulism can be prevented. Foodborne botulism has often been from
home-canned foods with low acid content, such green beans, beets
and corn. However, outbreaks of botulism from more unusual sources
such as chopped garlic in oil, peppers, tomatoes, improperly
handled baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, and home-canned
or fermented fish. Oils infused with garlic or herbs should be
refrigerated. Potatoes which have been baked while wrapped in
aluminum foil should be kept hot until served or refrigerated.
Because the botulism toxin is destroyed by high temperatures,
persons who eat home-canned foods should consider boiling the food
for 10 minutes before eating it to ensure safety. Because honey
can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum and this has been a
source of infection for infants, children less than 12 months old
should not be fed honey. Honey is safe for persons 1 year of age
and older. Wound botulism can be prevented by promptly seeking
medical care for infected wounds and by not using injectable
drugs.
Infant Diagnosed For Botulism
Botulism Symptom
Healthcare Provider
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