Botulism

General information about an infection

Botulism is an infectious disease which is caused by anaerobe bacterias – botulism sticks. They are eurysynusic in the nature, can remain a long time in the soil in a look a dispute. In a human body botulism develops after the use of the infected food stuffs – vegetables, fruits, grain, meat and fish. Eating of preserved foods is especially dangerous. Without oxygen access anaerobe bacterias begin not only to breed quickly, but also to emit special toxin – one of the strongest bacterial poisons. It does not decay in a stomach and intestines, and in certain cases (for example, toxin like E) even the action under the influence of intestinal juice strengthens.

Risk "to catch" botulism significantly increases at the use of the canned food, salty fish, ham, sausage, mushrooms and a house pickles prepared with disturbance of technological process. In particular, without full heat treatment of food stuffs the causative agent of botulism is capable to remain for many years, without losing at the same time productive capacity.

At the moment 6 types of anaerobe bacterias are known to researchers, and all of them produce strong specific toxins. Level of maintenance of sticks of botulism in food depends on concentration of salt and sugar, and also on the level of acidity of preserved foods.

Botulism – disease symptoms

The incubation interval of botulism proceeds from 2-3 hours to 1-2 days. Initial symptoms of botulism:

• general weakness;
• insignificant headache;
• persistent locks from which do not save enemas and purgatives. The diarrhea at botulism meets much less often;
• nausea, vomiting;
• change of a voice, vision disorder and difficulty with swallowing, caused by damage of the central nervous system.

Patients begin to see all objects as if "in fog". At people pupils extend (at the same time one more widely than another), doubling in eyes appears. Very often botulism leads to squint and a ptosis – an eye blepharoptosis. In certain cases at a disease of botulism the person has no photoharmose (the accommodation phenomenon). Further the causative agent of botulism leads to bystry progressing of a disease with emergence in patients:

• dryness in a mouth;
• changes of pulse (in the beginning slowed down, then – very bystry);
• lowerings of blood pressure;
• germinations a dispute in intestines of the sick person.

Body temperature at infected with botulism remains within norm therefore focal changes from eyes remain the main symptom of a disease. The gastrointestinal syndrome (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pains, locks or ponosa) remains within 1-2 days, and then is replaced by neurologic symptomatology (swallowing disturbances, dryness in a mouth). The patients with botulism test the general weakness, note existence of "grid" before eyes. At the diagnosis botulism symptoms often demonstrate numerous disorders of digestive function. Patients cannot normally swallow food, and at paresis of a soft palate liquid food stuffs in general pour out through a nose. If botulism is followed by paralysis of muscles of a throat, then development of an aphonia and other serious complications is possible.

At a heavy current botulism quite often leads to a lethal outcome because of paralysis of respiratory muscles. But even at the favorable result of treatment at the people who had botulism such unpleasant effects as are observed: muscular weakness, astenisation, neuritis, toxic myocarditis and pneumonia.

Diagnosis of a disease

Statement of the exact diagnosis is carried out on the basis of epidemiological data and characteristic clinical symptoms. Help to reveal botulism and laboratory methods of a research (THRESHING BARN, biological tests, crops) which are necessary for specification like the activator and the subsequent serotherapy. Remember that at a high dose of toxin (more than 0,3 mkg) botulism is deadly. The forecast depends on circulation periods to the doctor and administrations of antibotulinic serum.

Botulism – treatment of a disease

At poisoning with products actions of first aid are of great importance. The patient with botulism needs to give salt laxatives, peach or any other vegetable oils for binding of toxins, and also to wash out a stomach by means of solution of hydrosodium carbonate (baking soda). Besides, at any suspicions of botulism treatment assumes the fastest administration of antibotulinic serum and immediate hospitalization of the patient. At treatment of botulism in the conditions of a hospital laboratory analyses are made for definition like exotoxin then specialists use the monoreceptor anti-toxic serums directed against a specific type of toxic agent. If it is not possible to define toxin type, then polivaletny serums – mix of the laboratory assistants influencing at once all species of anaerobe bacterias are applied.

As the causative agent of botulism makes impact on the vital systems of an organism, for patients careful permanent care will be organized. According to indications it appoints actions for maintenance of physiological functions and use of the respiratory equipment. At essential disturbances of swallowing it is reasonable to use food via the probe or nutrient enemas. As auxiliary drugs levomycetinum and adenosine triphosphoric acid are applied to treatment of botulism (in the first 5 days of treatment).