Changes

*Ubiquitous organism

*Ubiquitous organism  

*Oval, subterminal endospores; spores survive boiling for hours

*Oval, subterminal endospores; spores survive boiling for hours  

*Causes [[Muscles Degenerative - Pathology#Botulism|botulism]], a potentially fatal intoxication

*Causes [[Muscles Degenerative - Pathology#Botulism|botulism]], a potentially fatal intoxication  

*Germination of endospores, growth of bacterial cells and toxin production in anaerobic conditions e.g. decaying carcasses and vegetation

*Germination of endospores, growth of bacterial cells and toxin production in anaerobic conditions e.g. decaying carcasses and vegetation  

*Disease in animals consuming rotting carcasses and in herbivores through contamination of feed

*Disease in animals consuming rotting carcasses and in herbivores through contamination of feed  

*Pathogenesis:

*Pathogenesis:  

**Intoxication on ingestion and absorbtion of toxin from GIT into the blood  

**Intoxication on ingestion and absorbtion of toxin from GIT into the blood  

**Occasionally germination of spores in wounds or GIT

**Occasionally germination of spores in wounds or GIT  

**Neurotoxin carried to peripheral nervous system  

**Neurotoxin carried to peripheral nervous system  

**Toxin binds gangliosides irreversibly at the neuromuscular junction

**Toxin binds gangliosides irreversibly at the neuromuscular junction  

**Blocks release of acetylcholine  

**Blocks release of acetylcholine  

*Clinical signs:

*Clinical signs:  

**Dilated pupils, dry mucus membranes, decreased salivation, tongue flacidity, dysphagia in farm animals

**Dilated pupils, dry mucus membranes, decreased salivation, tongue flacidity, dysphagia in farm animals  

**Incoordination and knuckling followed by flacid paralysis and recumbency

**Incoordination and knuckling followed by flacid paralysis and recumbency  

**Paralysis of respiratory muscles leads to death

**Paralysis of respiratory muscles leads to death  

**Flacid paralysis of legs and wings in birds

**Flacid paralysis of legs and wings in birds  

*Diagnosis:

*Diagnosis:  

**Mouse inoculation with infected serum

**Mouse inoculation with infected serum  

**Toxin detection by PCR, ELISA

**Toxin detection by PCR, ELISA  

**Toxin neutralisation tests in mice

**Toxin neutralisation tests in mice  

*Treatment: polyvalent antiserum neutralises unbound toxin

*Treatment: polyvalent antiserum neutralises unbound toxin  

*Toxoid vaccine used in endemic regions

*Toxoid vaccine used in endemic regions  

*Implicated in [[Grass Sickness|equine grass sickness]]

*Implicated in [[Grass Sickness|equine grass sickness]]

[[Category:Neurotoxic_Clostridia]][[Category:Cattle Bacteria]][[Category:Sheep Bacteria]][[Category:Birds]]

[[Category:Neurotoxic_Clostridia]] [[Category:Cattle_Bacteria]] [[Category:Sheep_Bacteria]] [[Category:Avian Bacteria]] [[Category:To_Do_-_Bacteria]]

[[Category:To_Do_-_Bacteria]]