Clostridium Botulinum

1
Clostridium Botulinum

• By Joel, Julie, Martin, and Rob

2
Background Information

• Clostridium Botulinum is an anaerobic,
  spore-forming, rod-shaped bacteria that produces
  a potent neurotoxin, which causes the disease
  botulism
• Four types of botulism foodborne, infant,
  wound, and adult colonization
• In the United States, foodborne botulism is most
  frequent it is acquired via consumption of
  heat-resistant spores in improperly processed
  foods
• Infective dose ? very small amount (a few
  nanograms) can cause illness

3
Symptoms

• Onset of symptoms in foodborne botulism ?
  normally 18 to 36 hours after ingestion of toxin
• Early symptoms lethargy, weakness and vertigo
• Later symptoms double vision and progressive
  difficulty in speaking and swallowing.
• Other common symptoms difficulty breathing,
  abdominal distention, and constipation
• Eventually, if not treated, flaccid paralysis
  occurs and progresses downward starting with the
  eyes and face, to the throat, and finally, the
  chest and extremities
• When the diaphragm and chest muscles become fully
  involved, respiration is inhibited and death from
  asphyxia results

4
Mechanism of Action

• Once intoxicated, botulinum toxin interferes with
  the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles by cleaving
  specific SNARE proteins, thereby preventing Ach
  release
• SNARE proteins associate to firmly anchor the
  vesicle to its target membrane
• Cleavage prevents the formation of the core
  complex and thereby halts the exocytosis of
  synaptic vesicles
• Botulinum-poisoned muscles cannot receive an
  excitatory signal due to the lack of Ach and
  contraction is prevented, causing paralysis
• Treatment involves administration of an antitoxin
  along with mechanical ventilation
• Concept Map

5
Effects at Various Parameters
no change
no change
no change
decrease
no change
no change
decrease
decrease
decrease
6
Movie

• Click here

7
Analogy

• Think about it like this (for all you underage
  folks)
• Youre at a party havin a grand old time.
  Everythings going great. Then the cops show up,
  everyones tryin to leave the party at the same
  time, but theres only one exit and its blocked
  by the cop Botox. Your night is over (and your
  life is too, as soon as the folks find out).