Why is botulism so dangerous

But you should avoid giving babies under the age of 1 honey as it's been known to contain Clostridium botulinum spores. Page last reviewed: 26 November Next review due: 26 November Symptoms of botulism The time it takes to develop symptoms can vary from a few hours to several days after exposure to the Clostridium botulinum bacteria or their toxins. Symptoms can include: drooping eyelids blurred or double vision facial muscle weakness difficulty swallowing slurred speech breathing difficulties Affected babies may also have a weak cry, find it difficult to feed, and have a floppy head, neck and limbs.

When to get medical advice Botulism is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Treatment is more effective the earlier it's started. Causes and types of botulism Clostridium botulinum bacteria are found in soil, dust and river or sea sediments. There are 3 main types of botulism: food-borne botulism — when someone eats food containing the toxins because it hasn't been properly canned, preserved or cooked wound botulism — when a wound becomes infected with the bacteria, usually as a result of injecting illegal drugs like heroin contaminated with the bacteria into muscle rather than a vein infant botulism — when a baby swallows a resistant form of the bacteria, called a spore, in contaminated soil or food, such as honey these spores are harmless to older children and adults because the body develops defences against them from about the age of 1 All these types of botulism are very rare in the UK, but occasional cases do occur.

The Mayo Clinic advises against giving honey to children under 12 months of age. Improperly canned or fermented foods are among the most common sources of botulism. About 90 percent of botulism cases occur in infants younger than 6 months old. Children under 12 months are also at a heightened risk of developing botulism. Older children and adults have digestive systems that are better equipped to fight off the bacterial spores found in contaminated foods like honey.

The bacteria Clostridium botulinum can germinate in the digestive tract of children younger than 12 months old. Because of this, symptoms of botulism might not develop until 1 month after exposure. According to the CDC, you may also be at an elevated risk of developing botulism if you:. Symptoms usually appear around 12 to 36 hours after being exposed to the toxin.

In adults and older children, botulism causes weakness in the muscles around the eyes, mouth, and throat. Eventually, the weakness spreads to the neck, arms, trunk, and legs. Botulism is potentially fatal and requires prompt medical attention. Botulism is usually treated with a botulinum antitoxin drug to fight the illness. The drug prevents botulism from further damaging the nerves.

Neuromuscular function will eventually regenerate once the toxin is flushed from your body. If symptoms are severe, it may cause breathing failure. If this happens, mechanical ventilation may be needed, which could last for several months. Better knowledge of botulinum toxin's structure could also enhance the growing number of treatments that use the toxin to block nerve signals. The medical treatments "are not just for wrinkles," Chapman says.

In a wide variety of dystonias, where spasms can cause really severe pain, this can relax the muscles. A third potential benefit is further down the line. After the researchers found the binding site on the protein receptor, they varied it until the toxin could no longer bind to it.

If a mutated toxin was made to attach to the mutated receptor, the combination might target botulinum toxin against over-active cells in the body, Chapman suggests.

Using genetic engineering, "you might be able to sensitize whatever cell you want to the toxin," he says. Theoretically, such a treatment could be used to slow mucus production in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, or to attack hyperactive cells in a wide range of other disorders.

Overall, the research improves our knowledge of a devilishly clever toxin, says Dong. Botulinum is an enzyme - a biological catalyst -- that can move through a cell, breaking one protein molecule and quickly attacking another. Botulinum toxin attacks communications between nerve cells, "one of the most sensitive parts of the animal physiology," Dong says. Another reason for botulinum toxin's extraordinary power becomes clear from this study, Dong says. Signs and symptoms of wound botulism appear about 10 days after the toxin has entered the body.

Wound botulism signs and symptoms include:. If infant botulism is related to food, such as honey, problems generally begin within 18 to 36 hours after the toxin enters the baby's body.

Signs and symptoms include:. Certain signs and symptoms usually don't occur with botulism. For example, botulism doesn't generally increase blood pressure or heart rate, or cause fever or confusion.

Sometimes, however, wound botulism may cause fever. Seek urgent medical care if you suspect that you have botulism. Early treatment increases your chances of survival and lessens your risk of complications. Seeking medical care promptly may also alert public health authorities. They may then be able to keep other people from eating contaminated food.

Botulism isn't contagious from person to person. The source of foodborne botulism is often home-canned foods that are low in acid, such as fruits, vegetables and fish.

However, the disease has also occurred from spicy peppers chiles , foil-wrapped baked potatoes and oil infused with garlic.