By Lecturer of Forensic Medicine & Clinical Toxicology Definition Food poisoning is acute illness that is caused by food ingestion. Causes Food itself Chemicals Agricultural Food additives Chemicals Bacterial Parasitic Mycotoxic

Definition Is a disease caused by botulinum toxin, which produces life threatening muscle paralysis. Clostridium botulinium is spore-forming, anaerobic, gram positive bacillus.  Clostridium botulinium is spore-forming, anaerobic, gram positive bacillus.  The spores contain one of eight strains of potent neurotoxin A, B, C-α, C- β, E, D,F and G.  The spores contain one of eight strains of potent neurotoxin A, B, C-α, C- β, E, D, F and G. Incubation period I. P. in food borne botulism is 18 – 36 hs. I. P. in wound botulism is 4 – 14 days. Mechanism of action Types:  F F F Food borne botulism: in which toxin is formed before consumption.  I I I Infant botulism: is produced by organism in immature GIT.  W W W Wound botulism: due to traumatic wounds which is contaminated from soil.

C / P A) Food borne botulism - Cranial nerve affection (6 & 3). - Cardiac arrest. - Dry mouth, difficulty in swallowing, bulbar muscle weakness - Descending symmetrical paralysis. - Deep tendon reflexes are diminished. - GIT symptoms. - Resp. m weakness. - Respiratory failure & death. B) Infant botulism  Constipation.  Difficult feeding.  Decrease gag reflex.  Persistent hypotonia.  Tachycardia. C) Wound botulism Similar to food borne botulism EXCEPT for lack of GIT symptoms. It commonly occurs in patients with surgical wounds after IP 4 – 14 days. It commonly occurs in patients with surgical wounds after IP 4 – 14 days. Investigations 1- Serum analysis. 2- Stool analysis. 3- Vomitus. 4- Gastric content. 5- Wound. 6- Suspectd food. Treatment Supportive Decontamination Neutralization Symptomatic Human botulism IG Prevention 1)Acidification to pH < ) Heat to destroy the toxin and spores to C for 10 min or for 60 0 C for 30 min. 3) Refrigeration. 4) When opening a canned preparation, do not taste if there is any suspicion of spoilage.