What Temperature Should Food Be Cooked To for Botulism Prevention?

Discussion Clostridium botulinum is a gram-positive, motile, anaerobic rod. C. botulinum produces spores which themselves produce a toxin that causes paralytic disease which may be fatal. About 145 cases per year are reported in the US. Foodborne botulism is caused by eating food contaminated with the spores or toxin. 15% of US cases yearly. Wound botulism is caused by a wound that is infected with the spores which produces toxin causing botulism. 20% of cases yearly. Infantile botulism is considered separate from foodborne botulism and is caused by consuming the spores and the toxin is produced in the infant’s gut causing the disease. Adults can have the same problem but it is extremely rare. 65% of US cases yearly. Iatrogenic – caused by an overdose of botulinum toxin. Inhalation botulism is very rare. Classic symptoms includes visual changes (e.g. blurred or double vision, ptosis), speech and swallowing difficulties, dry mouth and muscle weakness. Infants have a weak cry, poor tone and weakness, poor feeding and lethargy. If untreated symptoms can progress to paralysis of the extremities, trunk and respiratory muscles. With foodborne disease, symptoms can occur at 6 hours – 10 days after eating the contaminated food but generally within 18-26 hours. The differential diagnosis for infantile botulism commonly includes meningitis/sepsis, electrolyte abnormalities, congenital myopathy and Werdnig-Hoffman disease. Learning Point There is no vaccine for...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news