Botulism Definition & Causes

Botulism is an illness that is caused as a result of a neurotoxin that causes paralysis of the muscles. When the neurotoxin enters the cells, it interferes with the release of chemicals, preventing the stimulation of the muscle. There are three primary forms of botulism: food-borne botulism, wound botulism and infant botulism.

Clostiridium botulinum

• Clostridium botulinum is a bacteria that produces a nerve toxin that is usually found in the soil. It normally makes its way into the home via food. The bacteria grows well where there is little or no oxygen and forms spores, allowing the bacteria to survive.

Symptoms of Botulism

• The symptoms of botulism may vary depending on how it was contracted, but normally include dry mouth, problems swallowing, double vision, droopy eyelids, speech problems and muscle weakness. Botulism normally affects the central nervous system.

Food-Borne Botulism

• Botulism is normally defined by the way that the disease was acquired. In food-borne botulism, it is caused because a food contained the botulism neurotoxin. When you open the lid of a new jar of food and it does not make a "pop" sound, or if a can of food is bulging, it might be contaminated with botulism. Also, foods that are not cooked well may contain spores that have already germinated.

Wound Botulism

• Wound botulism is caused when a wound becomes infected with Clostridium botulinum spores because of dirt on the skin. Although wound botulism normally relates to an infection, it can also be correlated to illegal drug use, if the drugs user comes into contact with infected needles or drugs. Wound botulism can be treated by antitoxins, which prevent it from circulating through the bloodstream. Wound infections are often treated via surgery, which removes the bacteria.

Infant Botulism

• Infant botulism occurs because of spores that are consumed, often through infant formula or food. The most common symptoms in infants are muscle weakness, difficulty eating and problems breathing. The bacteria grows in the intestinal tract of the infant and releases the neurotoxin into the body. Infant botulism can be harmful because the baby's digestive tract is not fully developed and cannot handle the spores. Once the infant ingests the bacteria, it germinates and multiplies, producing the neurotoxin.

Botulism Statistics

• According to the CDC, there are approximately 145 cases of botulism reported annually. Based on their statistics, approximately 15 percent of such cases are food-borne, 65 percent are infant botulism and 20 percent are wound related.