Signs and Symptoms of Botulism

Signs and Symptoms of Botulism

Botulism is actually a serious as well as life threatening neurological disorder. The bacteria which is responsible for this disease is known as Clostridium botulinum. Being a bacterial disorder it may cause potentially life threatening neurological paralysis due to the severe effect of the neurotoxins produced by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum. Though this is disease exist rare, but there are several causes which are responsible for the outbreak of this disease. The spore of the bacteria which affect any human by causing this disease may easily enter to human body by wounds or improperly preserved or canned foods.  

The substances which are usually contaminated by the spores of this bacterium are the soil, green vegetables, smoked or raw fish, cured pork or ham, honey or corn syrup. Small amount of the toxin produced by this bacterium may lead to severe poisoning. The botulism disease can be divided into three types- i) infant botulism, ii) foodborne botulism iii) wound botulism according to the clinical representation of this disease. Infant botulism is mostly found in the other types of the botulism. It is usually caused due to the ingestion of the spores which are present either in the honey or in the corn syrup. The presence of spores can be found in the stools of the infants who are affected by this disease. The doctors use either blood test or stool culture to identify this disease but sometimes lab tests of the ingested foods is also done to confirm the origin of the spores.

Being a neurological disorder the symptoms of this disease is clearly noticeable as the brain is the central of human body controlling the activities of the rest part of the body. 

The signs and symptoms which are most seen in the body of the persons who are affected by this disease is discussed in the following:

 

• ·         Abdominal cramps are being felt by the patients who are affected by this disease though the severity may be mild to severe. This symptom usually appears from the 24-36 hours after the exposure to the infective spores of the bacteria.
• ·         Respiratory failure maybe occurred due to the appearance of breathing difficulty in some cases of the infection.
• ·         Double vision is a direct effect of the neurological disorder caused the toxin produced by the bacteria. As a result of this symptom every patient sees an object twice at the same time of viewing.
• ·         Weakness may be seen an earlier symptom of this diseasewhich finally resulting into the paralysis of either one side or the both sides of the body.
• ·         Vomiting is occurred sometimes in adult when the gastrointestinal tracts of them are affected by the infection caused by the spores of the bacteria. This is usually the aftereffect of the ingestion of the spores. Constipation may also occur sometimes due to the effect of the toxin in the gastrointestinal tract of the infants.
• ·          Poor feeding as well as weak sucking may also be a symptom of this disease which usually appears at the later stage of this disease.
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