- Botulism is a foodborne illness that affects humans and animals resulting from the ingestion of neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium strictly anaerobic found in sediments and marine based sources.
- Neurotoxins known as botulinum toxins inhibit the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. They are the most powerful poisons known at present.
- Botulism symptoms results in progressive paralysis down.
- Botulism is a rare disease because of its "under-reporting" but not exceptional in France (twenty cases each year) and is not contagious. The disease is described at any age.
- Human botulism is included in the list of notifiable diseases (Decree 86-770 of 06.10.1986 amended by Decree 87-1012, 96-838 and 98-169).
The modes of contamination of botulism
There are currently three different modes of contamination of botulism:
- Food-borne botulism resulting from ingestion of food contaminated with Clostridium botulinum and botulinum neurotoxin in which has been produced. It is the only mode now in question in France. The toxin is ingested directly with the food contaminant, usually homemade preserves.
- Neonatal botulism linked to the formation of endogenous toxins after germination of spores of Clostridium botulinum in the intestine. The intestinal flora of the newborn is incompletely formed and / or functional and therefore did not inhibit the growth of bacteria.
- Wound botulism caused by the development of Clostridium botulinum and toxin production in contaminated wounds. The toxin then passes directly into the general circulation.
A fourth form of botulism was identified later. It is a botulism adult intestinal colonization botulism neonatal similar in its pathogenesis. It appears in children and adults who have undergone bowel surgery or suffering from a large imbalance in their intestinal flora. Some botulism pictures here
