Download Botulism

Botulism
•Botulism is a serious illness
that causes flaccid paralysis of
the muscles.
•Its causative agent is the
neurotoxin botulinum toxin,
produced by the bacteria
Clostridium botulinum.
•About 1,000 cases are
reported worldwide every year.
An average of 110 cases are
reported annually in the United
States.
•Botulinum toxin
paralyzes the nerves,
prohibiting the
contraction of the
muscles.
•Symptoms include
muscle weakness, dry
mouth, difficulty
swallowing, blurred
and/or double vision,
drooping eyelids, and
slurred speech.
•Gag reflexes and deep
tendon reflexes can also
be affected.
Transmission of Botulism
• There are 6 ways in which
botulism can be transmitted.
• Food-borne botulism caused by eating foods
containing botulinum
neurotoxin.
• Wound botulism –
neurotoxin produced when
wound is infected by
Clostridium botulinum.
• Infant botulism – occurs
when an infant consumes
spores of the botulinum
bacteria.
• Adult intestinal colonization
– the bacteria infects the
intestines of people with
abnormal bowels.
• Inhalation botulism – occurs
in laboratory personnel who
inhale the neurotoxins
• Injection botulism – patients
are injected with high
amounts of therapeutic
neurotoxins.
• All six are potentially fatal.
Classification and Historical
Significance
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Kingdom – Eubacteria
Division – Firmicutes
Class – Clostridia
Order – Clostridiales
Family – Clostridiaceae
Genus – Clostridium
Species – C. botulinum
• A popular form of
injection botulism is
Botox.
• People have the diluted
botulinum toxin injected
to stop muscle
contractions, thus
preventing wrinkles
• Botulism can also be
used to treat certain
muscle contracting
diseases, like spasmodic
dysphonia.