Botulism

Botulism is a rare but serious food borne disease caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

Botulism is characterized by symmetric descending flaccid paralysis resulting from the effect of botulinum neurotoxin.

Clostridium botulinum, the etiologic agent of botulism, is an anaerobic, spore forming organism that elaborates a neurotoxin that prevents the release of acetylcholine.

This poison spreads in dead plants or animal matter. It kills many those who make the mistake of eating it.

The three main clinical presentations of botulism include infant botulism (IB), foodborne botulism (FBB) and wound botulism (WB).

Food borne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin. It causes food poisoning because its heat resistant spores may survive food preservation methods and produce neurotoxin in anaerobic, low acid (pH>4.6) conditions.

Wound botulism, which is very rare, is caused by a toxin produced from a wound infected with C. botulinum. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of botulinum bacteria, which grow in a child's intestines.

The botulinum toxin is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless protein that our digestive enzymes can’t break down. It is small enough to pass through the lining of the digestive tract to be absorbed into the blood stream.

Botulism