Clostridium Botulinum Research Paper

Clostridium Botulinum is a gram positive, motile bacterium with the ability to produce the neurotoxin botulinum. Clostridium Botulism can cause placcid paralysis, where muscles become limp and cannot contract. Clostridium Botulinum is a potentially fatal micro intoxication, which is a food poisoning microorganism that can cause health problems. Clostridium Botulinum is odor less and taste less and only a small amount needs to be consumed to be fatal.
Clostridium Botulinum can be transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food, from improperly preserved home processed foods such as, corn, beets and green beans, along with tomatoes and cucumbers. Clostridium Botulinum can also be transmitted via sharing hypodermic needles from elicit drug use, …show more content…
Respiratory failure is the usual cause of death. Clostridium botulinum has several other signs and symptoms, double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness in adults. If and infant contracts clostridium botulinum there signs and symptoms could be eating poorly, they will appear weak, may be constipated and also have poor muscle tone. Signs and symptoms appear usually within 18-36 hours after eating the contaminated food, however, could occur as early as 4 hours to as long as 8 days after consumption of the contaminated food.
Treatment and recovery from Clostridium Botulinum can take several weeks. If detected early clostridium botulinum can be treated with medication to stop the circulation of the toxin throughout the blood stream. If food was recently ingested Doctors can remove the contaminated food from your stomache by inducing vomiting. Studies on treatment of infants is still a work in progress. Medications to treat Clostridium botulinum can be harmful to the infant. Respiratory failure and paralysis that may occur with severe botulism may call for a patient to be on a ventilator for up to weeks at a