Transcript Slide 1

Bacterium of the day: Clostridium botulinum
CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM
Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic, Gram-positive, spore-forming rod that produces a potent
neurotoxin. The spores are heat-resistant and can survive in foods that are incorrectly or minimally
processed.
Foodborne botulism is a severe type of food poisoning caused by the ingestion of foods containing the
potent neurotoxin formed during growth of the organism. The toxin is heat labile and can be destroyed if
heated at 80°C for 10 minutes or longer .The disease is of considerable concern because of its high
mortality rate if not treated immediately and properly. It can happen with inadequately processed, homecanned foods, in meat products, sausages, canned vegetables and seafood productc.
Bacterium of the day: Clostridium botulinum
Food poisoning
Foods that have been associated with outbreaks of
botulism include improperly canned foods (both
homemade and commercially canned), flavored oils
containing garlic and herbs, smoked and salted fish,
and potatoes that have been baked in aluminum foil
and then kept (still wrapped in foil) at room temperature
for several hours. All of these are low-acid foods that
are usually stored at room temperature in the absence
of oxygen. Another environment where Clostridium
botulinum can grow is on the surface of fresh
vegetables wrapped tightly in plastic (which keeps out
oxygen). This is why supermarket vegetables are
loosely wrapped with plastic packaging that has holes
in it to allow the oxygen to pass through.
Bacterium of the day: Clostridium botulinum
BOTOX®, a registered trade mark of Allergan Inc.,
and Dysport® (Ipsen's product) are different forms
of purified botulinum toxin A, and are produced by
the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, the cause of
a dangerous disease called botulism. Botulinum
toxin is a neuromuscular blocking agent, which
means it causes paralysis of the injected muscle
by preventing the release of acetylcholine from
motor nerve terminals. Without its nerve supply,
the muscle fibre withers away. The muscle
strengthens again as the nerves regenerate.
Botulinum toxin reduces sweating by blocking the
sympathetic nerve fibres that control sweat
glands.
For more information see: ttp://dermnetnz.org/procedures/botox.html