Difference between revisions of "Clostridium botulinum"
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*Ubiquitous organism | *Ubiquitous organism | ||
*Oval, subterminal endospores; spores survive boiling for hours | *Oval, subterminal endospores; spores survive boiling for hours | ||
| − | *Causes [[ | + | *Causes [[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 | ||
Revision as of 18:09, 3 March 2011
- Ubiquitous organism
- Oval, subterminal endospores; spores survive boiling for hours
- Causes botulism, a potentially fatal intoxication
- 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
- Pathogenesis:
- Intoxication on ingestion and absorbtion of toxin from GIT into the blood
- Occasionally germination of spores in wounds or GIT
- Neurotoxin carried to peripheral nervous system
- Toxin binds gangliosides irreversibly at the neuromuscular junction
- Blocks release of acetylcholine
- Clinical signs:
- Dilated pupils, dry mucus membranes, decreased salivation, tongue flacidity, dysphagia in farm animals
- Incoordination and knuckling followed by flacid paralysis and recumbency
- Paralysis of respiratory muscles leads to death
- Flacid paralysis of legs and wings in birds
- Diagnosis:
- Mouse inoculation with infected serum
- Toxin detection by PCR, ELISA
- Toxin neutralisation tests in mice
- Treatment: polyvalent antiserum neutralises unbound toxin
- Toxoid vaccine used in endemic regions
- Implicated in equine grass sickness