botulism

(noun)

Poisoning caused by the toxin from Clostridium botulinum, a type of anaerobic bacteria that grows in improperly-prepared food.

Related Terms

Examples of botulism in the following topics:

  • Botulism

    • Person-to-person transmission of botulism does not occur.
    • The most common form in Western countries is infant botulism.
    • The only drug currently available to treat infant botulism is Botulism Immune Globulin Intravenous-Human (BIG-IV or BabyBIG).
    • A 14-year-old with botulism.
    • Compare and contrast the three major modes of entry for Botulinium toxin (infant botulism or adult intestinal toxemia, foodborne botulism, and wound botulism) and describe its mechanism of action

  • Paralysis-Causing Bacterial Neurotoxins

    • Botulinum toxin can cause botulism, a serious and life-threatening illness in humans and animals.
    • Foodborne botulism can be transmitted through food that has not been heated correctly prior to being canned, or food from a can that has not been cooked correctly.
    • Most infant botulism cases cannot be prevented because the bacteria that cause this disease are in soil and dust.
    • Honey can contain the bacteria that cause infant botulism, so children less than 12 months old should not be fed honey.
    • By inhibiting acetylcholine release, the toxin interferes with nerve impulses and causes flaccid (sagging) paralysis of muscles in botulism, as opposed to the spastic paralysis seen in tetanus.

  • Paralysis

    • Other major causes are stroke, trauma with nerve injury, poliomyelitis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), botulism, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, and Guillain-BarrĂ© syndrome.
    • Ascending paralysis contrasts with descending paralysis, which occurs in conditions such as botulism.

  • Bacterial Foodborne Diseases

    • In the past, sporadic cases of botulism, the potentially fatal disease produced by a toxin from the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum, were relatively common.