Botulism is disease caused by the bacteria Clostridium botulinium.

1. Prepared by: Joevi Jhun A. Idul
BSE- BioSci 3

2. Disease
Cause
Signs and Symptoms
Incubation Period
Treatment
Prevention

3. Disease
Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by Clostridium
botulinum bacteria. The bacteria may enter the body through
wounds, or by eating them from improperly canned or preserved
food.
Foodborne botulism
caused by eating foods that
contain botulism toxin
Intestinal botulism
(infant and child/adult)
caused by ingesting spores
of the bacteria which
germinate and produce
toxin in the intestine
Wound botulism
C. botulinum spores
germinate in the wound
Inhalation botulism
Aerosolized toxin is
inhaled
does not occur naturally
and may be indicative
of bioterrorism

4. Disease
Cause
Signs and Symptoms
Incubation Period
Treatment
Prevention

5. Cause
Clostridium botulinum is found in soil and untreated water
throughout the world.
Clostridium botulinum is a Gram-positive, rod-
shaped, anaerobic, spore-forming, motile bacterium with the
ability to produce the neurotoxin botulinium.

6. Clostridium botulinum

7. Clostridium botulinum

8. • COLONIZATION OF THE GUT
The most common form in Western countries is infant botulism. This occurs in
infants who are colonized with the bacterium in the small intestine during the
early stages of their lives.
The bacterium then produces the toxin, which is absorbed into the
bloodstream. The consumption of honey during the first year of life has been
identified as a risk factor for infant botulism.
• FOOD
Toxin that is produced by the bacterium within containers of food that have
been improperly preserved is the most common cause of food-borne botulism.

9. • WOUND
Wound botulism results from the contamination of a wound with the bacteria,
which then secrete the toxin into the bloodstream.
• INHALATION
Isolated cases of botulism have been described after inhalation by laboratory
workers.
• INJECTION
Botulism has occurred after cosmetic use of inappropriate strengths of Botox.

10. Disease
Cause
Signs and Symptoms
Incubation Period
Treatment
Prevention

11. Signs and Symptoms
In adults, symptoms may
include:
• Abdominal cramps
• Breathing difficulty that may
lead to respiratory failure
• Difficulty swallowing and
speaking
• Double vision
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Weakness with paralysis
(equal on both sides of the
body)

12. Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms in infants may
include:
• Constipation
• Drooling
• Poor feeding and weak
sucking
• Respiratory distress
• Weak cry
• Weakness, loss of muscle
tone

13. Disease
Cause
Signs and Symptoms
Incubation Period
Treatment
Prevention

14. Incubation Period
Infants: 3-30 days
Children and adults: 12-72 hours

15. Disease
Cause
Signs and Symptoms
Incubation Period
Treatment
Prevention

16. Treatment
You will need medicine to fight the toxin produced by the bacteria, called
botulinus antitoxin.
You will have to stay in the hospital if you have breathing trouble. A tube may
be inserted through the nose or mouth into the windpipe to provide an airway
for oxygen. You may need a breathing machine.
Patients who have trouble swallowing may be given fluids through a vein (by
IV). A feeding tube may be inserted.
Health care providers must tell state health authorities or the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention about patients with botulism, so that the
contaminated food can be removed from stores.
Some people are given antibiotics, but they may not always help.

17. Disease
Cause
Signs and Symptoms
Incubation Period
Treatment
Prevention

18. Prevention
NEVER give honey or corn syrup to infants younger than 1 year old -- not even
just a little taste on a pacifier.
Prevent infant botulism by breastfeeding only, if possible.
Always throw away bulging cans or foul-smelling preserved foods. Sterilizing
home-canned foods by pressure cooking them at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 30
minutes may reduce the risk for botulism.
Keep foil-wrapped baked potatoes hot or in the refrigerator, not at room
temperature.