One of the most acutely toxic poisons known to mankind, botulinum toxin is extremely lethal to humans.
One microgram of it can kill by causing paralysis in the musculoskeletal and respiratory systems.
The paralysis is caused by blocking the release of the chemical neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
The lack of acetylcholine prevents nerve impulses from reaching muscles, rendering them immobile and uncontrollable.
Botulinum toxin is produced by the anaerobic, Gram positive, spore-forming bacteria called Clostridium botulinum.
It is the cause of the paralytic disease botulinus intoxication, which is more popularly known as botulism.
Infant botulism or intestinal botulism is one of the kinds of botulism and is caused by the ingestion of Clostridium botulinum spores.
Wound botulism, another kind, is caused when Clostridium botulinum infects a wound.
The third kind of botulism is food-borne botulism, caused by eating food that contains botulinum toxin.
The digestive juices of babies less than 12 months of age are less acidic compared to those of adults and older children.
This makes them susceptible to intestinal botulism because the lesser acidity impairs the capacity to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores that have been ingested.
Botulinum toxin is produced in the infant's intestines by these spores.
Generalized weakness, loss of head control and difficulty feeding following a bout of constipation are the symptoms of infant botulism.
The symptoms of food-borne botulism appear about 12 to 38 hours after eating food containing botulinum toxin, These symptoms include dryness of the mouth, difficulty in swallowing, weakness of the muscles, drooping of the eyelids, difficulty in breathing, double or blurred vision, slurred speech, incontinence, and diarrhea.
The onset of the symptoms of wound botulism take longer to appear, occurring between 4 to 14 days after infection, but are essentially the same as those of food-borne botulism.
The administration of antitoxin to treat botulism, coupled with artificial ventilation to combat the effects of respiratory paralysis caused by the botulinum toxin, until the toxin is completely excreted or metabolized, is effective if treatments are initiated on time.
One of the two primary types of botulinum antitoxin, trivalent botulinum antitoxin and heptavalent botulinum antitoxin can be used depending on the situation.
Proper handling of food prevents contamination by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, its spores and the toxin they produce.
Refrigeration, low pH levels, and high salt concentration prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum.
Botulinum toxin is readily destroyed by thorough cooking.
The spores from which the toxin come from, however, are heat resistant and can survive even prolonged boiling at 100 degrees Celsius.
Botulinum toxin type A, one of the serologically distinct types of botulinum toxin, is used in the treatment of facial lines and wrinkles, certain neurological disorders, and hyperhidrosis, despite its toxicity.
For the treatment of neurological conditions, Botox, Dysport, Myobloc, Neurobloc and Xeomin are the brand names under which it is marketed.
It is also commercially available under the trade names Botox Cosmetic and Vistabel for cosmetic treatment purposes, There is an indication that botulinum toxin can help promote weight loss by speeding up gastric emptying time.
There is also an indication that it is effective in the treatment and prevention of chronic headaches, as well as chronic musculoskeletal pain, by blocking nerve impulses to the muscles of the affected area.
One microgram of it can kill by causing paralysis in the musculoskeletal and respiratory systems.
The paralysis is caused by blocking the release of the chemical neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
The lack of acetylcholine prevents nerve impulses from reaching muscles, rendering them immobile and uncontrollable.
Botulinum toxin is produced by the anaerobic, Gram positive, spore-forming bacteria called Clostridium botulinum.
It is the cause of the paralytic disease botulinus intoxication, which is more popularly known as botulism.
Infant botulism or intestinal botulism is one of the kinds of botulism and is caused by the ingestion of Clostridium botulinum spores.
Wound botulism, another kind, is caused when Clostridium botulinum infects a wound.
The third kind of botulism is food-borne botulism, caused by eating food that contains botulinum toxin.
The digestive juices of babies less than 12 months of age are less acidic compared to those of adults and older children.
This makes them susceptible to intestinal botulism because the lesser acidity impairs the capacity to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores that have been ingested.
Botulinum toxin is produced in the infant's intestines by these spores.
Generalized weakness, loss of head control and difficulty feeding following a bout of constipation are the symptoms of infant botulism.
The symptoms of food-borne botulism appear about 12 to 38 hours after eating food containing botulinum toxin, These symptoms include dryness of the mouth, difficulty in swallowing, weakness of the muscles, drooping of the eyelids, difficulty in breathing, double or blurred vision, slurred speech, incontinence, and diarrhea.
The onset of the symptoms of wound botulism take longer to appear, occurring between 4 to 14 days after infection, but are essentially the same as those of food-borne botulism.
The administration of antitoxin to treat botulism, coupled with artificial ventilation to combat the effects of respiratory paralysis caused by the botulinum toxin, until the toxin is completely excreted or metabolized, is effective if treatments are initiated on time.
One of the two primary types of botulinum antitoxin, trivalent botulinum antitoxin and heptavalent botulinum antitoxin can be used depending on the situation.
Proper handling of food prevents contamination by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, its spores and the toxin they produce.
Refrigeration, low pH levels, and high salt concentration prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum.
Botulinum toxin is readily destroyed by thorough cooking.
The spores from which the toxin come from, however, are heat resistant and can survive even prolonged boiling at 100 degrees Celsius.
Botulinum toxin type A, one of the serologically distinct types of botulinum toxin, is used in the treatment of facial lines and wrinkles, certain neurological disorders, and hyperhidrosis, despite its toxicity.
For the treatment of neurological conditions, Botox, Dysport, Myobloc, Neurobloc and Xeomin are the brand names under which it is marketed.
It is also commercially available under the trade names Botox Cosmetic and Vistabel for cosmetic treatment purposes, There is an indication that botulinum toxin can help promote weight loss by speeding up gastric emptying time.
There is also an indication that it is effective in the treatment and prevention of chronic headaches, as well as chronic musculoskeletal pain, by blocking nerve impulses to the muscles of the affected area.
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