Foodborne botulism

     Foodborne botulism appears by eating toxin contaminated food or through ingestion of spores that will germinate and will produce toxin. Mild forms of foodborne botulism do not require hospitalization, but severe forms can lead to death within 24 hours. The incubation period varies depending on when the dose of toxin arrives in the gut, from several hours to several days. Foodborne botulism is manifested by symmetric and background muscle paralysis, which ultimately leads to respiratory failure, cardiac arrest and death.

     First the cranial nerves are affected (with neurological disorders), and then paralysis is progressing rapidly, extending the neck, arms, chest and legs. Progressive paralysis is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, dizziness, vision problems and dry mouth. The pupil is dilated and fixed, and the tendon reflexes are diminished in amplitude.

     It also appears paralytic intestinal obstruction (intestinal transit stop for gas and food because digestive muscle paralysis), severe constipation and urine retention (inability to urinate). Patient does not have fever and consciousness is preserved.

     In the first 4 months of 2009, were confirmed at the international level, almost 2000 cases of botulism, with about 500 cases more than the same period of 2008. Foodborne botulism occurs after consumption of contaminated food, especially canned prepared in house, bacon, smoked sausages, smoked/ salted fish, meat in lard.

Foodborne botulism signs:

• Mild digestive disorders: dry mouth, nausea, abdominal pain;
• Headache, dizziness;
• Pronounced asthenia;
• Flaccid paralysis, most common is the eye paralysis,
• Ocular manifestations (diplopia, squint);
• Pharyngeal paralysis, difficulty in swallowing, hoarse voice, difficult speech, and in severe cases paralysis of the muscles of the neck, limbs, paralysis of respiratory muscles with respiratory failure occurrence.

Foodborne botulism prevention:

     In order to prevent illness, the Ministry of Public Health and Center for Diseases Prevention and Control recommends the following:

• Avoid eating canned vegetables, meat and fish dishes prepared in the house if they were not sterilized by boiling (boiling at least 30 minutes);
• Avoid consuming cans whose cover is swelling out;
• Avoid consuming food which looks and smells odious;
• Careful cleaning and thorough cleaning of plant products;
• Conservation of the incompletely cooked foods to cold;
• The containers in which was the food looking and smelling funny will be cleaned and boiled.
• Any preparation to be kept at home cooking for over 10 minutes - preserved household (vegetable) shows the highest risk; the industrial preserved cans(broths, canned vegetables) may be less contaminated when they were inadequately sterilized; smoked meat prepared at home and the ham, sausage, canned fish are also sources of disease;
• Avoid cooking foods with more than 2 to 3 hours before consumption, if you can not provide the temperature conditions necessary to preserve the food preparations;
• Ensuring the preservation of food at temperatures of 4-8 degrees Celsius, if the food is to be consumed over 2-3 hours after the preparation (refrigeration);
• The food for babies will be gave to them immediately after preparation, without being reheated or stored in a refrigerator;
• In the case of cooked food, ensure the preparation temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius;
• Avoid contact between the unprepared food and the cooked food;
• Repeatedly washing your hands, not only after toilet use and before eating.

     When the first symptoms of foodborne botulism appear you should see your family doctor or you should go to the emergency hospitals.