Facts on Botulinum Contamination and
why whey protein is risky ???
By, Sri Lanka Society
for Medical Laboratory Science
kumudeshr@gmail.com /
0094773077717
"C.
botulinum is a Gram-positive bacterium, which cannot tolerate any more than
trace amounts of oxygen. The bacterium produces spores which are very hard to
kill and thus help the bacterium survive adverse conditions. C. botulinum is a
worry because it can cause botulism, a rare but sometimes fatal illness.
"Botulism
is caused by the ability of C. botulinum to produce several neurotoxins which
prevent acetylcholine from being released from the motor nerve endings causing
flaccid paralysis and symptoms of blurred vision, drooping eyelids, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea and/or constipation and cramps. In severe cases it leads to
paralysis of the breathing muscles and causes respiratory failure.
Biotulism
Most people know that
botulism is dangerous, but many are confused about whether it's an infection or
a case of poisoning. In fact, it can be both. Clostridium botulinum is a
worldwide bacterium that inhabits rivers, soil, and the guts of mammals, fish,
and shellfish. It's not an organism that normally makes its living by attacking
humans. We most often encounter C. botulinum by accident.
C. botulinum secretes a
neurotoxin (nerve poison) that can weaken or paralyze muscles and can even
cause death. This is botulin toxin, one of the most dangerous substances known.
Botulism is the condition of having been poisoned with C. botulinum toxin.
Causes of Botulism
Botulism
is rare, but there are still cases every year. There are three ways to get
botulism:
Food borne
Infant botulism
Infants
botulism occurs when infants under 12 months of age eat bacterial spores rather
than the toxins. Spores of C. botulinum then grow in the infant's intestines,
where they produce toxins. Honey can contain spores of C. botulinum and is
associated with infant botulism and should not be given to children under one
year old. Infant botulism is rare.
Wound botulism
Wound
botulism occurs when live bacteria infect an open cut and the toxin is carried
through the body by the blood.
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