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Botulism Research Paper

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The illness of topic that is rare but potentially fatal that is caused by a toxin is Botulism. In the United States, health care providers report an average of 110 cases per year. The botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin protein. The causative organism that makes up this toxin is Clostridium botulism and sometimes Clostridium butyricum or Clostridium baratii. They are the gram-positive, rod-shaped, spore-forming, obligate anaerobic bacteria. The bacteria that make this toxin are naturally found in many places and it is rare for them to make people sick. This bacterium makes spores that act like a protective coating. The spores help these bacteria survive in the environment, even in very extreme conditions. The spores even when eaten usually do not make people sick but under certain conditions they can grow and become …show more content…

Some of the conditions which the spores can grow and become very toxic are: low-oxygen or anaerobic environment, low acid, low sugar, low salt, certain temperature range and certain amount of water.
The 5 main kinds of botulism and modes of transmission are: Foodborne, Wound, Infant, Adult Intestinal toxemia, and Iatrogenic. Foodborne botulism can happen by ingesting foods that have been contaminated by the botulinum toxin. Examples are homemade food that has been improperly stored, canned, preserved or fermented. Also alcohol consumption from homemade recipe called Pruno, which is made usually by fermenting fruit, sugar, water and other common ingredients in a sealed plastic bag for several days can cause the botulism bacteria to make the toxin. Alaska has more foodborne botulism than any other states in the country. Alaskans have usually gotten

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