wound botulism

(noun)

poisoning caused by the toxin from Clostridium botulinum when spores enter a wound under the skin, and, in the absence of oxygen are activated and release toxin

Related Terms

  • botulism
  • toxin
  • spore
  • infant botulism

Examples of wound botulism in the following topics:

  • Botulism

    • The toxin enters the human body in one of three ways: by colonization of the digestive tract by the bacterium in children (infant botulism) or adults (adult intestinal toxemia), by ingestion of toxin from foods (foodborne botulism), or by contamination of a wound by the bacterium (wound botulism).
    • Wound botulism results from the contamination of a wound with the bacteria, which then secrete the toxin into the bloodstream.
    • There are two primary Botulinum Antitoxins available for treatment of wound and foodborne botulism.
    • 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.
  • Deep Wound Healing

    • A deep wound involves the inner, deeper layers of the skin (dermis).
    • Deep wounds that damage the dermis, or even the underlying muscle and fat, are more difficult to heal than shallow, epidermal-only wounds.
    • The wound healing process for deep wounds is similar to that of shallow wounds.
    • The ECM formed during wound healing may also be weaker in deep wounds, making the site susceptible to additional later wounding.
    • This image illustrates the phases of wound healing.
  • Epidermal Wound Healing

    • Epidermal wound healing describes the mechanism by which the skin repairs itself after injury.
    • Epidermal wound healing refers to the repair of the epidermis in response to wounding.
    • Epidermal only wounds are typically less severe than those affecting the dermis and so stages of the wound healing response may be missed.
    • Immune cells may still be recruited to the wound site because the removal of the epidermal barrier makes the wound susceptible to infection.
    • Keratinocytes—epidermal epithelial cells—around the wound site migrate across the wound and close it.
  • Steps of Tissue Repair

    • Upon wounding, the first phase of the wound response is concerned with maintaining homoeostasis within the body.
    • Most wounds, even superficial shallow wounds, result in damage to the circulatory system.
    • Additionally, vasoconstriction initially occurs around the wound site as a means of isolating the wound site.
    • It is thought that surviving epithelial cells around the wound edge become more motile and stretch to cover the wound site.
    • Following closure of the wound, remodeling can occur.
  • Paralysis

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

    • Platelets, also called thrombocytes, are membrane-bound cell fragments that are essential for clot formation during wound healing.
    • Platelets are important for the blood clotting process, making them essential for wound healing.
    • The complex process of wound repair can only begin once the clot has stopped bleeding.
    • Platelets secrete many factors involved in coagulation and wound healing.
    • If the number of platelets is too low, excessive bleeding can occur and wound healing will be impaired.
  • 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.
  • Skin Grafts

    • They are useful in reducing the bacterial concentration of an open wound, as well as reducing fluid loss.
    • An increasingly common aid to both pre-operative wound maintenance and post-operative graft healing is the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT).
    • This system works by placing a section of foam cut to size over the wound, then laying a perforated tube onto the foam.
    • A vacuum unit then creates negative pressure, sealing the edges of the wound to the foam, and drawing out excess blood and fluids.
    • NPWT can also be used between debridement and graft operations to assist an infected wound in remaining clean for a period of time before new skin is applied.
  • Clot Retraction and Repair

    • While the clot retracts, the wound begins to heal.
    • The first step of wound healing is epithelial cell migration, which forms a scab before the clot retracts.
    • The wound itself contracts, reducing in size.
    • After these steps occur, new epithelial cells grow to cover the wound.
    • If the wound was severe or unevenly shaped, or if healing takes too long, scarring may occur from collagen deposition.
Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Calculus
  • Chemistry
  • Communications
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

Except where noted, content and user contributions on this site are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 with attribution required.