The most dangerous manifestation of botulism for the human body. The first symptoms of botulism. Symptoms and signs of botulism in adults and children

Bacterial infection with anaerobic microorganisms Clostridium botulinum is classified as foodborne infectious poisoning, since the main way they enter the body is through food (various canned food, dried fish, smoked artisanal meat).

Botulinum toxin, produced by activated spores of bacteria, is the strongest organic nerve agent that does not have a clear taste, color, smell, or other recognition factors, and therefore is especially dangerous for humans.

During the years of the Cold War, the theory of using Clostridium botulism spores (as well as tetanus bacteria) as a biological weapon was seriously developed in the United States. The idea of biological destruction of the enemies of the Yankees was abandoned, but the strategic secret stock of "sleeping" microorganisms, perhaps somewhere, awaits its X-Hour. But not everything is so bad - today botulinum toxins have been put on guard of health in the beauty industry: Botox injections return the graceful young features of the facial oval to old women who want to shine at 35 at 70.

How does botulism manifest itself in humans? Distinctive signs of poisoning are spastic pain in the abdomen, vomiting, muscle weakness, flatulence with constipation.

Then there may be a split in the eyes and a sensation of a lump in the throat that interferes with swallowing. Signs of botulism disease can appear after only a couple of hours, and after 24 hours (up to 5 days) after eating spoiled foods containing poison.

In order to prevent the active reproduction of pathogenic bacterial flora and the penetration of botulinum toxins into the blood, it is important to immediately carry out a plentiful lavage of the stomach cavity, take an antidote recommended by the doctor. A mild form of botulism does not cause much harm to the digestive organs and nervous system, the treatment is quick and painless. The recovery period after severe intoxication botulism takes a year or even more.

How and why poisoning occurs

As long as the bacteria and spores of Clostridium botulinum live in the environment (soil, silt, water), they are not dangerous to humans.

As soon as they enter the body with food (together with earth, silt, sand), they quickly become active. This usually occurs with insufficient heat treatment in the depths of the layers of the pulp of dried fish, meat, stew, as well as fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, canned without the addition of acid.
In the process of vital activity, pathogenic Clostridia of botulism begin to produce the strongest poison (botulinum), which destroys blood cells and the nervous system. There is a disconnection of neuromuscular connections, a person may stop breathing and refuse the heart.

The minimum amount of botulinum toxin that can accumulate in a can of stew, canned fish or salted mushrooms in less than 1 month is enough to poison everyone who just tastes the products - the rate of formation of the toxin is so high.

How to recognize jars with botulism? Visually, this is almost impossible. If in canned food of industrial production swollen lids, mixed friable consistency of the product become a criterion for assessing the good quality of the product, then it is difficult to notice damage in home-made preparations - the appearance of the container may remain unchanged.

Clostridia botulinume are invisible without a microscope, imperceptible to the taste, except for the bitterness from the toxins in the canning oil.

Danger of household and industrial products

How can you get botulism? It is important to determine the highest likely risk of poisoning, where it can most often develop:

The rating for the threat of infection is headed by canned mushrooms (without the addition of vinegar) at home. Provoking factors are dishonest washing of forest gifts, lack of heat treatment (clostridia spores from the soil get into conservation, begin active life, quickly producing botulinum).
The second place in food poisoning with botulinum toxins belongs to canned vegetables, fruits, on which bacteria could get from the soil, and also those with low natural acidity. Information about the rapid death of Clostridium botulism spores during home sterilization is greatly exaggerated - the boiling point is not enough, even with heat treatment for more than 1 hour.
The botulism stick is very stable, withstands 4 hours of domestic boiling. To destroy the spores, you need an autoclave with a temperature of 120 degrees or more.
Fruits and berries growing on trees cannot cause botulism in humans, provided that they are removed from the tree and did not come into contact with the soil during collection, transportation, storage. Berries located close to the ground (blueberries, blueberries, strawberries) should be harvested with caution.
Violation of sanitary rules for processing, trade in products from dirty trays of spontaneous markets near shops and from land near railway stations is a direct path to the development of a pandemic in any locality. That is why the police kick out old women with jars of compotes and mushrooms: so that the population does not become infected with botulism, disinteria, and so on, and not because law enforcement officers want to improve the landscaping of the territory.
No less often (than mushrooms) poisonings are registered when using smoked, dried fish (meat products), as well as semi-finished products and canned food made from these products at home or in handicraft shops.
Unfortunately, there are cases of infection with botulism through honey. Rod spores get into bee products with plant pollen.
Botulism can develop when pathogenic microorganisms enter wounds of a person received in an accident, a fight, or other cases of falling to the ground.

Is there an antidote that prevents the rapid activity of botulism in humans in the body, and how to avoid poisoning?

According to medical journals, Maryland scientists have created an antidote for botulism. This is a specific plant protein that can recognize, attract and block botulinum toxins, as a result of which there is no damage to the central nervous system, paralysis does not occur. The infected suffer a mild degree of poisoning without negative consequences.

For canning at home, it is imperative to use acetic acid, it causes the partial destruction of the protein neurotoxin. Banks for blanks must be disinfected with a solution of baking soda before sterilization.

Food must be stored at low temperatures to prevent the growth and reproduction of bacteria.

How to distinguish botulism by symptoms of poisoning

Before the first signs of poisoning with botulinum toxins appear, in some cases it takes 2 hours, in others - more than 2 days. It is believed that the shorter the incubation period, the more difficult the course of the disease.

Initial symptoms of the disease

In the first phase of bacterial development, there is a so-called nested infection, when among the mass of the product there are areas clear of toxins, therefore, insignificant but dangerous poisoning can occur.

Sickness and causes of death

After a day or two of infection, the onset and intensification of neurological symptoms are noted:

increased sensation of muscle weakness;
increased dryness of the mucous membranes of the mouth and skin;
pupils dilate, vision is impaired - the reaction to light weakens;
development of paralysis of striated muscles begins;
followed by paralysis of the muscles of the larynx (aphonia);
then the paralysis of the muscles of the neck, chewing, hands, and further progresses.

As a result, without medical intervention, with a complete failure of the functioning of the muscle group, death occurs from asphyxia due to paralysis of the respiratory system. This can happen on the third and tenth day after the poison has entered the saliva, stomach, blood, depending on the dose of botulinum toxin received and the state of the body.

The cause of death is frivolity in relation to food poisoning: unwillingness to figure out why intoxication occurs, what it can cause, untimely appeal to the doctor.

Comparison of signs of botulism and other food poisoning

Meanwhile, the differences by which it is easy to recognize botulism in comparison with other food poisoning are the following main symptoms:

no fever occurs
consciousness is not lost
the pulse can be either slow or normal,
intoxication increases without loss of sensitivity,
there is a presence of respiratory failure due to paresis,
neurological pathologies increase symmetrically,
there is constipation due to paresis of the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea in botulism can only be caused by concomitant infection with other bacteria).

The pathogenesis of botulism: the progression of toxicoinfection of botulism in adults is accompanied to a greater extent by signs of neurological disorders of the central nervous system, while the gastrointestinal symptoms of the disease remain of secondary importance.

Complications of toxic infection of botulism

The consequences of poisoning often become diseases of the respiratory tract (bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy), which is due to paresis of the muscular skeleton of the nasopharynx, trachea, and bronchi.

Respiratory failure after botulism is accompanied by shortness of breath, attacks of suffocation, a lack of oxygen is formed, which leads to cardiac pathologies: a decrease in pressure, tachycardia, fainting, loss of consciousness.

A complication of botulism is a decrease in salivation, which provokes the growth of staphylococcal and streptococcal pathogenic flora, causing inflammation of the parotid glands (mumps).

Help for botulism, provided in a timely manner, predisposes to the disappearance of organ obstructions, the cure of heart diseases that have arisen against the background of poisoning. If vision is partially affected during intoxication, its recovery occurs quite quickly as the toxin is removed from the blood.

Preventive safety conditions

How not to get botulism? Today, the botulism bacterium is practically not found in industrial foodstuffs. Toxin poisoning occurs due to the consumption of products of individual entrepreneurs, who attract cheap, and therefore terribly lazy, labor to the manufacture of canned meat and fish preserves.

But you can get poisoned not only with smoked meat or dried fish. Black and red caviar from fish caught in the nets of poachers is a very common source of infection with botulism bacteria, ending in terrible consequences: disability from blindness or death.

Prevention of botulism is to eliminate the factors that cause the possibility of infection. In order not to get sick with botulism, you need to follow simple rules:

in the forest - cut off the legs of mushrooms high from the ground, but rather collect only hats;
in the garden - put a film under a low creeping berry;
thoroughly wash the crop, while changing the water 3-4 times;
vinegar for pickles and pickles should be added to a jar filled with food and brine, and not boiled in advance;
all dishes should shine with a brilliance of perfect cleanliness;
re-screw caps should not be used;
it is unacceptable to reduce the process of sterilization of canned food;
avoid buying expired goods;
do not buy canned food, dried corned beef, mushrooms, jam from spontaneous markets, near stations and shops, as botulism caused by spores from the ground is very dangerous.

If, after some time after processing the products, turbidity and bubbles form in the jar, you should never use conservation. Feel free to throw in the trash products with swollen lids, even if their surface is skewed by a few millimeters.

In products spoiled by other foodborne infections, the likelihood of the presence of botulinum toxins increases many times over.

How to protect yourself from botulism? Every year, SES and Rosnadzor publish warning-memos on websites: what kind of disease is botulism and its prevention, but the symptoms of botulism and their manifestation at the initial stage are almost indistinguishable from other food poisoning, so people prefer not to go to doctors.

If problems with weakness in the muscles begin, double vision, a lump is felt in the throat - urgently call an ambulance, as these are the first symptoms of botulism.

Article content: classList.toggle()">expand

Botulism is one of the most serious infectious diseases with a pronounced complex toxic reaction. This pathology is common throughout the world and in most cases the victim requires the fastest qualified medical care. What to do at the first signs of the disease and symptoms of botulism poisoning? Symptoms of botulism and treatment of the disease. You will read about this and much more in our article.

What is botulism

Botulism is a toxic-infectious disease that affects a number of departments of the NCS and proceeds against the background of bulbar and ophthalmoplegic syndromes. The main pathological reaction in the body is caused by botulinum toxin.

Botulinum toxin is a special protein substance interacting with ion channels and membranes of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord. This neurotoxin is synthesized by the anaerobic, Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium botulinum, a bacterium of the genus Clostridium that lives in soils around the world.

In addition to the earth, the main natural reservoir of micropathogens are also reservoirs with a muddy bottom, fish and various animals.

It should be noted that the vegetative forms of Clostridium botulinum do not cause the underlying disease. Botulism is formed solely due to the growth of a bacterium, a neurotoxin, released during the growth process.

Special conditions for this process is the absence of oxygen and direct sunlight, a certain temperature range (from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius) and high humidity. The average time for the full growth of vegetative forms of the causative agent of botulism is estimated at 48-72 hours with strict observance of all the above conditions.

What foods can cause the development of pathogenic microorganisms

Pathogenic microorganisms that, under certain conditions, are capable of releasing botulinum toxin, can be found on the surface or within a whole group of products. The most famous and dangerous in this context:

Vegetables. The vast majority of vegetables are grown outdoors and come into direct contact with the soil, one of the main places where Clostridium botulinum spores are found. When mushrooms, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, other root crops get on the surface, the future embryos, in the absence of air (the presentation of a part of the product close to the ground) and the presence of the required temperature, gradually develop into vegetative forms of pathogenic microflora, which later can begin to secrete botulinum toxin;
Conservation. Even if vegetables, mushrooms and other products growing on open soils do not contain dangerous forms of Clostridium botulinum, after their collection and conservation, suitable conditions are still created for the further transformation of pathogens with the start of the process of neurotoxin isolation. Strong marinades are less susceptible to this process (due to high acidity, which inhibits the growth of Clostridium botulinum), as well as traditional salting recipes in open barrels (when there is direct access to oxygen and conditions for anaerobe are not suitable). However, with the classic seaming and the lack of preventive measures to potentially reduce the risks of botulism, the problem still remains relevant;

As modern clinical practice shows, more than half of all cases of infection are due to the use of home preservation.

Fish. Since one of the habitats of the pathogenic bacillus that produces botulinum toxin is water bodies, fish is often an intermediate carrier of both spores and vegetative forms of infection. At the same time, the neurotoxin can contain both relatively fresh fish (sea, ocean, and especially river), as well as dried, pickled, canned and even salted products in case of non-compliance with the standards for its preparation;
Meat products. It was in this variety of the product (in particular, raw homemade ham) that the causative agent of botulism was first discovered;
Other products. In some cases, botulism can be caused by the ingress of spores or vegetative forms of Clostridium botulinum into milk (that has not undergone technological thermal and antiseptic treatment, that is, fresh) and even honey (bees collecting nectar from infected plants act as intermediate carriers).

Signs of bacteria in food

There are many opinions and theories among the people that predetermine the possibility of detecting spores and vegetative forms of the causative agent of botulism, as well as signs of the action of a neurotoxin on products. Someone claims that the characteristic signs of botulism is a white or gray coating on vegetables.

Some folk experts insist that the signs of the presence of botulism in a jar with preservation are a swollen lid and a cloudy brine with bubbles. There is even an opinion about colonies of gram-positive bacteria of the genus Clostridium visible to the naked eye in the flesh of fish, meat and other products.

it
healthy
know!

Recall that the causative agent of botulism looks like an oblong "stick" no more than 8-9 microns long with rounded ends.

It is impossible to detect even large colonies of pathogens with the naked eye.

The only exception is a few special media that are maximally adapted for growth and reproduction - this is meat-peptone broth and agar.

In the first case, there may be slight turbidity of the medium and symptoms of increased gas formation (usually this process can be seen in a simple non-electron microscope) and a pronounced smell of rancid oil.

In the second case under an electron microscope, large colonies of Clostridium botulinum with many root-like processes and an extensive zone of hemolysis (areas of destruction of erythrocytes) are visible.

Based on these scientifically substantiated facts, it is possible to unambiguously refute the possibility of visual diagnostics of the presence of vegetative forms of bacteria (and even more so spores or neurotoxins) at home or “field” conditions.

Symptoms of botulism and their manifestation

Clostridium botulinum spores usually take 48 to 72 hours to grow and transform into a vegetative form. However, as mentioned above, the producing agent by itself does not cause botulism, and all pathological symptoms are formed solely by the influence of the produced neurotoxin (by the way, the most powerful among known natural organic poisons).

Based on this, it can be argued that botulism poisoning is possible only when using products that have been in anaerobic conditions for some time and have accumulated on the surface or inside the basic active substance.

Botulinum toxin itself is colorless, odorless and tasteless., while retaining its properties when interacting with gastric juice and pepsin, being destroyed only by boiling (at least 30 minutes), autoclaving (10 minutes at 120 degrees Celsius) or before soaking in a solution of baking soda (with a concentration of 2-3 percent for 2 hours).

The pathogen, when it enters the body, is quickly absorbed by the mucous membranes or lungs and enters the systemic circulation. The first symptoms of botulism in humans appear after an incubation period of 2-24 hours to 2-5 days, depending on the concentration of the toxin, the individual characteristics of the body and other factors.

The most characteristic clinical signs of botulism poisoning:

Complex respiratory disorders with hypoxia and bronchial obstruction;
Increased blood pressure and increased heart rate;
Weakness of smooth muscles, its convulsions and partial paralysis;
Nonspecific disorders of the visual system - ptosis, diplopia, dilated pupils, accommodative muscle spasm;
Oral and maxillofacial pathologies - violation of swallowing, dryness in the oral cavity, nasal and illegible voice, damage to the facial nerve;
Dyspeptic disorders. Vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, bloating, pain in the epigastric region;
Other symptoms of botulism are pallor of the skin, sudden changes in body temperature, impaired urination.

First aid and treatment of the disease

Doctors strictly do not recommend home treatment when symptoms of botulism appear: even a small amount of toxin that enters the body can cause serious complications and even death in the absence of qualified medical care.

If there are signs of botulism, you need to call an ambulance.

They will be able to professionally assess the condition of the victim and decide on his hospitalization in the toxicology or intensive care unit of the nearest hospital.

Possible first aid for symptoms of the disease may include:

Gastric lavage 2% saline solution. The amount of liquid is about 1.5-2 liters, which must be consumed in one sitting, after which artificially induce a gag reflex and repeat the procedure until clean wash water appears;
Drink ordinary clean water in small sips;
Acceptance of available enterosorbents(dosages of a particular drug are identical to classic food poisoning);
Condition control victim. If necessary - assistance in the elimination of vomit from the respiratory tract, artificial respiration, chest compressions and other manual resuscitation.

As part of first aid for botulism, the following actions are carried out:

Probe washing stomach with a normalized sodium bicarbonate solution;
Siphon enemas with a five percent soda solution (in portions of 10 liters);
parenteral administration infusion solutions with correction of water, electrolyte, glucose and protein balance;
The use of antitoxic serum (anatoxins) in an increasing pattern;
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, connection to mechanical ventilation with tracheotomy and other actions to eliminate respiratory pathologies and hypoxia;
Comprehensive general treatment that eliminates symptoms and reduces the risk of complications - from antibiotics, diuretics and lactasols to corticosteroids, bronchodilators and other groups of drugs as prescribed.

Precautions and Prevention

Key preventive measures include:

Thorough pre-treatment of vegetables, fish and other products with a high risk of infection with bacteria. In addition to the classic washing under warm and hot water (this will only partially wash off the spores, vegetative forms of Clostridium botulinum and neurotoxin from the outer shell), it is necessary to carry out a long heat treatment. So, the toxin itself is destroyed by boiling for half an hour. The vegetative form of the bacteria does not survive after 45-50 minutes of boiling. Spores, on the other hand, die only under the influence of temperatures above 120 degrees through autoclaving for 15-20 minutes;
Refusal to consume any questionable canned, smoked and other products. Any preservation, pickles and other “homemade” products (including dried or smoked fish, black pudding, ham, and so on) that are not prepared by one’s own hands should not be eaten, since the technical process in this situation is not controlled by a person. In industrially prepared canned food, botulism is quite rare, since the products are necessarily sterilized in autoclaves;

Proper preparation of products. Try not to put vegetables, meat and other products in jars, but use classic salting with open air access, use acidic marinades, be sure to use natural preservatives. Before using canned food, it is advisable to warm the jar at 100 degrees for half an hour, immersing the container in boiling water.

Botulism is a serious infectious-toxic disease caused by the Gram-positive obligate anaerobic pathogen Clostridium botulinum.

The disease is caused by a toxin produced by the pathogen and, in some cases, its spores. The main route of introduction of toxins into the human body is food.

According to statistics, in 30-70% of cases of botulism, homemade mushrooms are the cause of the disease.

Clostridium botulism itself, in exceptional cases, can cause pathology, since the microorganism needs special conditions to produce the toxin - a temperature in the range of 30-35 ° C and the absence of oxygen.

Poisoning occurs when using home canned food, in which, in case of violation of the conditions of preparation and storage, a pathogenic microorganism develops and is produced.

Clostridium botulinum “waits out” unfavorable conditions in the form of spores, which have a high viability compared to the microorganism itself.

Spores are able to "sprout" again even after boiling. In order to completely destroy them, it is necessary to heat the spores to a temperature above 100 ° C for 6-7 hours.

But the microorganism itself is not so resistant to exposure. Heating the products contaminated with the pathogen to a temperature of 80-90 ° C in half an hour leads to the death of Clostridium botulism.

According to epidemiological studies, in 2015 reported cases of botulism:

in Russia-200;
in Ukraine - 32;
in the USA - 116.

Based on the data presented, botulism cannot be called an epidemic, but the difficulties of timely diagnosis and the high probability of death make it necessary to pay increased attention to this disease.

7 serotypes of botulinum toxins have been described and studied, which are designated as A, B,C, D, E,G, F. Recently, serotoxin 8 has been isolated -H. They differ in frequency of occurrence, territory of distribution, mechanism of action and other characteristics. For example, botulinum toxin serotypes A, B, C1, C2 do not show neurotoxic properties.

Once in the digestive system with an infected product, the toxin is absorbed into the mucous membrane and enters the systemic circulation. The poison spreads throughout the body, causing a disruption in the transmission of nerve signals to the muscles.

The prolonged "wandering" of the toxin in the circulatory system and the different sensitivity of receptors in the organs lead to the fact that the whole variety of symptoms of the disease manifests itself in a certain sequence.

Symptoms of botulinum infection

Penetrating into the body through the digestive system, botulinum toxin causes, first of all, a violation of its functions, which manifest themselves in the form of:

nausea and vomiting with a small amount of vomit;
diarrhea;
cramping pains in the abdomen, which have an epicenter in the epigastrium;
increased gas formation, accompanied by bloating, flatulence, belching with air.

The longer the toxin is in the intestine, the more severe the violations are.

Happening:

inhibition of intestinal motility;
blocking the evacuation function of the intestine - constipation.

The next most sensitive system to the action of the toxin is the nervous system. The poison acts on the cranial nerves, causing inhibition of the functions of the visual analyzer, the nerves of the pharynx, larynx, esophagus and trachea.

Patients complain of impaired visual function, which is felt in the form of:

doubling of objects;
the appearance of flies, nets, fog before the eyes.

Objective symptoms of ophthalmoplegia:

dilated pupils (mydriasis);
different reaction and size of the pupils of the eyes (anisocoria);
strabismus (strabismus);
involuntary "trembling" of the eyeballs (nystagmus);
eyelid ptosis;
limited lateral eye movement.

Violation of the innervation of the muscles of the pharynx, larynx, esophagus leads to their paralysis. The patient notes:

swallowing disorder (dysphagia);
complete inability to swallow (aphagia);
difficulty in trying to move the tongue.

When examining the ENT organs in patients, the following are revealed:

dry mucous membranes;
white coating on the tongue;
expansion of the glottis;
inhibition of ENT reflexes.

Intoxication affects phonation and articulation, which is accompanied by a change in the sound of the voice (hoarseness, nasality) and sometimes leads to aphonia.

Patients complain of general malaise:

a slight increase in temperature to subfebrile values;
headache;
muscle atony;
fast fatigue.

From the urinary system observed involuntary urination. The patient is always in a clear consciousness, the sensitivity is not disturbed.

The most dangerous results of botulinum toxin are breathing problems and impaired circulatory function. It is these violations that lead to death.

According to statistics, untreated toxic infection in 70% of cases leads to death due to paralysis of the respiratory muscles and asphyxia. The action of the toxin on the nerve endings is irreversible, and the restoration of functions occurs as a result of the formation of new synaptic connections.

The main method of treatment of botulism is the tactics of emergency care:

to stop the flow of toxin into the blood, gastric lavage is carried out with a 5% solution of sodium bicarbonate until clean washings are obtained, a siphon enema is prescribed;
to bind and remove the toxin from the intestinal cavity and the circulatory system of the gastrointestinal tract, stimulate the evacuation function of the intestine, they prescribe - Polyphepan, Enterodez,;
to stimulate the excretion of toxin with urine, drugs are prescribed to increase diuresis - Mannitol, Furosemide;
the introduction of solutions to restore the water-salt balance - Ringer's solution, Poliglukin, Potassium chloride, Sodium chloride;
to normalize the breathing process - artificial lung ventilation, Carbogen inhalation;
to eliminate the consequences of hypoxia - the appointment of drugs that improve the utilization of oxygen by tissues;
prevention of inflammatory processes in the lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract with the help of Levomycetin, Ampicillin.

The main therapy for botulism is the introduction of anti-botulinum toxic serum. Until the type of toxin is established, the patient is injected with sera A, B, E.

Treatment begins with sensitization of the body with small doses of serum while monitoring the reaction of the body and the effectiveness of exposure.

Since the sera themselves can cause anaphylactic shock or serum sickness, antihistamines are prescribed in parallel. With timely treatment, rehabilitation therapy is carried out for several months, which ends with the complete recovery of the patient.

Measures to prevent botulism

To prevent the occurrence of botulism when consuming mushrooms, preventive measures should be observed when preparing and consuming canned mushrooms.

In order for homemade pickled mushrooms not to cause botulism, you must:

when harvesting raw materials for conservation, mushrooms must be cut so as not to further pollute them with soil;
Soak the mushrooms in cold water with the addition of salt and then rinse thoroughly with running water. To soak milk mushrooms, it is necessary to keep them in water for at least 2 days, and for mushrooms and mushrooms - at least 6-7 hours;
you need to cook mushrooms 2-3 times, draining the water and pouring raw materials with clean water;
10% salt solution and 2% acetic acid solution prevents the release of toxin by the microorganism;
the resulting canned food should be sterilized for 20-30 minutes (for half-liter jars);
jars should be sealed with tight polyethylene lids or parchment paper. When sealed with a metal cap, a favorable anaerobic environment is created for the reproduction of Clostridium botulism;
store canned food at a low (3-6°C) temperature;
consume within 12 months.

The presence of the causative agent of botulism in canned mushrooms cannot be determined without laboratory tests. To prevent infection, before using canned mushrooms, subject them to additional heat treatment - frying, stewing.

Do not eat strong alcoholic drinks with pickled mushrooms. Ethyl alcohol enhances the action of the toxin and masks the initial symptoms of botulism.

In mushrooms salted in an open container, Clostridia botulism die. Freezing and drying mushrooms does not destroy Clostridium botulinum spores, so heat treatment is required. In a state of freezing, spores are in a "sleeping" state for 6-7 months, while maintaining their viability.

Sometimes the vital activity of Clostridium botulinum is accompanied by the release of gas, then the infected preservation can be determined by:

swollen lid;
the presence of gas bubbles in the marinade;
change the transparency of the fill (clouding).

But these signs are not necessary, and contaminated canned mushrooms may look completely normal.

Botulism in conservation, the signs of which can be very difficult to notice at first glance, can seriously affect human health and in many cases lead to death. The microbe that causes its development can grow perfectly even without air. That is why most often this terrible diagnosis can be obtained after eating canned food. The insidiousness of botulism lies in the fact that very often its symptoms resemble simple poisoning and the correct diagnosis is not immediately made. At this time, the disease can affect the human brain and lead to irreversible consequences. Questions about what is the treatment and diagnosis of this disease will be discussed in detail in our article.

In order to protect yourself from infection, you must always remember that, in addition to conservation, a microbe can get to a person after drinking milk, meat, and even vegetables if they have not undergone proper heat treatment.

Botulism: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention of botulism

This disease has an infectious origin and its causative agent is a microbe (Clostridium botullini), which is able to multiply even in the absence of oxygen. Once in the body, it begins to produce a special poison - botulinum toxin, which is 400,000 times stronger and more dangerous than a rattlesnake bite. Botulism, in conservation, the signs of which are very difficult to recognize, can affect the human brain and cause paralysis of absolutely all muscles in the body.

The symptoms of this disease are very similar to the usual alcoholic or Botulism may be accompanied by:

nausea;
pain in the abdomen;
vomiting;
diarrhea.

Specific Symptoms

The first signs may occur between 2 and 24 hours after ingestion of contaminated food. The body temperature rises, but only slightly. When contacting a doctor with such complaints, the patient can often be misdiagnosed - namely, food poisoning. It is worth noting that canned food, which can cause botulism, is very often used as a snack when drinking alcohol. Therefore, the appeared nausea, vomiting, diarrhea can be perceived as

If no measures are taken in time, the microbe that enters the body begins its toxic effect. A person may develop new, specific syndromes:

feeling of dryness in the mouth;
blurred vision;
difficulty swallowing;
voice change;
severe weakness;
speech change.

Due to the fact that botulinum toxin begins to act on the nerve endings and muscles of the eyes, in some cases strabismus may occur. When such signs appear, the doctor must be called very quickly.

Mandatory hospitalization for suspected botulism

Botulism, in conservation, the signs of which can be completely invisible, entering the body, can very quickly affect the nervous system and lead to irreversible consequences. For this reason, at the slightest suspicion of infection with botulism, the patient is hospitalized in a hospital. In the hospital, the first thing they do is blood tests for Clostridium botullini, and in order not to aggravate the situation without waiting for their results, they begin to take appropriate measures. First of all, it is necessary to detoxify the body and for this, the stomach cleansing procedure is urgently carried out. The patient is given a large amount of laxative in order to hasten the discharge of feces and thus reduce intestinal intoxication.

If a person's swallowing function is disturbed, then it is started. At the same time, it is very important to prevent respiratory distress in a patient. In case of pulmonary spasm, a person is connected to a ventilator.

After the type of toxin is determined by the results of the tests, the patient is urgently injected with anti-botulinum serum. With timely treatment to a medical institution and with the right treatment, a full recovery occurs after 3 weeks.

How to recognize danger in conservation

Unfortunately, there is still no unambiguous answer to the question of how to determine whether there is botulism in conservation. Sometimes you can contract this disease after eating a canned food that had absolutely no signs that something was wrong with it.

The fact is that the microbe that provokes the development of the disease often lives in the soil and its spores are very tenacious and resistant to external factors. If at least one small grain of sand from this contaminated soil remains on a berry, vegetable or fruit that was used to prepare preservation, then infection of a person after he tastes such a product will be inevitable.

Signs of botulism in preservation are sometimes simply impossible to notice; it does not affect the taste, smell or color of the product at all. Externally, the tin may not be deformed, but, alas, this does not always mean that the product in it is safe.

External signs

Despite the fact that there are no exact instructions on how to recognize signs of botulism in conservation, there are certain tips that will help you avoid the danger of infection:

Proper heat treatment

In fact, it is very difficult to kill the botulism germ at home. Even if the product is boiled at a temperature of 100 ° C, there is no guarantee that it will die. In the conditions of industrial production, many products, especially meat and fish, undergo long-term processing in autoclaves before conservation. But, in any case, with home preservation, it should last no less than 15 minutes.

If, nevertheless, preservation is carried out at home, before rolling it up with a lid, it is necessary to boil it for at least 20 minutes. Also, after the workpiece has been opened, it can be boiled again before use.

Vinegar and salt are helpers in the fight against botulism

One way to protect against botulism is to add table vinegar to the preservation. It is believed that it is able to level Clostridium botullini. For this reason, it is very important to strictly adhere to the recipe and observe the indicated amount of vinegar and salt when canning. Especially this product is recommended to be added when harvesting vegetables that do not contain their own acid (cucumbers, eggplants, zucchini, squash).

How to protect yourself from illness

Indeed, this rare disease, botulism, can have terrible consequences for human health. Preservation rules and precautions that must be observed during the preparation process can save you from unpleasant problems:

Botulism in conservation, the signs of which are almost imperceptible, is terrible because there are no vaccinations against it, and the body absolutely does not develop immunity against its microbes. In the context of this disease, a person's health depends solely on his responsibility and eating proven products.

Botulism is an acute infectious disease caused by botulinum toxin poisoning that enters the human body as a result of the use of various foods containing botulinum toxins and is characterized by severe damage to the autonomic and central nervous systems.

Causes of botulism

Botulism bacteria are anaerobes, i.e. can exist only in places with no air. The place where botulism spores constantly live is the soil. It is from it that they then enter the water, food, vegetables, fruits, and ultimately into the intestines of animals (fish, birds, invertebrates, mammals) or humans. Botulism bacteria are widely distributed in nature in two forms - spore and vegetative. The vegetative form of these bacteria dies after 30 minutes at a temperature of 80 degrees and after five minutes - when boiled. Spores (spore form) are extremely resistant to chemical and physical factors, as they can withstand five hours of boiling and die only after 30 minutes at a temperature of 120 degrees.

One of the features of botulism is that if they are not heated enough, dormant spores can often form from vegetative forms, which germinate only after six months. These spores are very resistant to direct ultraviolet radiation, drying and freezing. In anaerobic (airless) or close to them conditions (animal meat, canned food), spores are activated and begin to release toxins that are 375,000 times stronger than rattlesnake venom.

Under normal environmental conditions, botulinum toxins can persist for up to one year, but in canned foods for many years. They are not destroyed by the enzymes of the digestive tract, are stable in an acidic environment, and easily withstand a very high concentration of table salt (about 18%). But when boiled for fifteen to twenty minutes, or under the influence of alkalis, toxins quickly decompose and lose their toxic properties. You should also know that the presence of botulinum toxin in food products does not affect their taste in any way.

Source of the causative agent of botulism- the contents of the intestines of domestic and wild animals, shellfish, fish, birds, silt of the seas and lakes, soil.

Most often, botulism develops after eating various canned foods (fish, mushroom, meat, vegetables), salted and smoked fish (and other smoked meats), sausages and ham. The most dangerous are home-cooked products, as well as those that, for some reason, were contaminated with soil.

In wound botulism, toxin formation occurs in necrotic tissues, and in infant botulism, in the intestine. Botulinum toxin can selectively affect the cholinergic parts of the nervous system, as a result of which the release of acetylcholine stops in the nerve synapses and muscle paralysis occurs.

Symptoms and course of botulism

Incubation period of botulism can range from several hours to two to five days (in severe cases, usually no more than 24 hours). It was noted that the shorter the incubation period, the more severe the course of the disease.

As a rule, botulism begins suddenly. There is a pronounced general weakness, dizziness, headache, the general state of health worsens significantly, the body temperature is within the normal range or slightly elevated. Cramping sharp pains, loose stools, nausea, vomiting begin in the abdomen. A day later, these manifestations are replaced by significant dry mouth, bloating and. Further, after a fairly short period of time, visual disturbances appear: patients cannot read, they see very indistinctly, doubling of objects can be observed. Due to incomplete paralysis (paresis) of the muscles of the face, wrinkles and nasolabial folds are smoothed out, drooping of the eyelids is observed. With further progression of the disease, hoarseness of the voice appears (then the voice may disappear altogether) and swallowing is disturbed. A very formidable sign that indicates an unfavorable course of the disease is respiratory failure. Patients feel heaviness in the chest, lack of air, breathing becomes shallow, pain in the chest may be present, paresis of the respiratory muscles develops (the cough reflex disappears). In severe cases, due to respiratory distress, death can occur.

Diagnosis of botulism

Diagnosis of botulism establish, based on the data of anamnesis, laboratory and clinical studies. Of great importance is the early diagnosis of this disease, based on the presence of typical clinical signs: As a rule, the absence of a febrile reaction, an acute onset with symptoms of general intoxication, the complete absence or very mild diarrheal syndrome, later nausea (rarely vomiting), constipation, ophthalmoplegic syndrome, weakness of skeletal muscles, respiratory disorders, pallor of the skin, hemodynamic disorders.

The epidemiological history plays a big role in the diagnosis of botulism: mass diseases of people who consumed the same food product (canned mushrooms, vegetables, meat; homemade juices, dried fish, smoked meats, canned food) at the same time.

Laboratory diagnosis of botulism consists in the study of food residues, feces, gastric lavage, vomit and blood. The presence of botulinum toxin in the test material is determined using a biological method.

It is necessary to conduct a differentiated diagnosis with stem encephalitis, rabies, poliomyelitis, with other food toxic infections, as well as intoxications of a different etiology; poisoning with poisonous mushrooms, methyl alcohol, belladonna, atropine

Treatment of botulism

All patients, without exception, with the slightest suspicion of botulism, must be immediately hospitalized in an infectious disease hospital for emergency specific therapy aimed at preventing possible serious complications. The primary tasks of emergency therapy are to ensure the functions of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body, as well as the neutralization, binding and subsequent removal of toxins from the body. In case of attachment of paralysis or paresis of the muscles of the larynx and pharynx, respiratory failure in botulism is significantly increased. This contributes to a serious deterioration in airway patency, as well as the development of atelectasis and aspiration pneumonia. Therefore, even at the prehospital stage, such urgent measures should be taken as: gastric lavage, initially with boiled water, and then with 2% solution of sodium bicarbonate; give the patient a saline laxative (30 g of magnesium sulfate per 500 ml of water), and then enterosorbents (enterodes, polyphepan, etc.); make a cleansing enema with polyphepan or 2-4% solution of sodium bicarbonate; prescribe frequent heavy drinking with the introduction of diuretics (hypothiazid, lasix, etc.).

In especially severe cases, it is necessary to carry out infusion detoxification therapy with forcing diuresis, the introduction of guanidine hydrochloride at a dose of 20-35 mg/kg/day. In acute respiratory failure, artificial respiration is performed. With respiratory paralysis, the patient is transferred to artificial ventilation of the lungs. In order to neutralize botulinum toxin, therapeutic monovalent anti-botulinum serums are used. Since in the gastrointestinal tract, spores can transform into vegetative forms, antibiotic therapy is indicated: tetracycline drugs or chloramphenicol.

Even in the case of timely provision of qualified medical care, the recovery of patients with botulism is quite slow. Residual effects after paralysis can be observed for another one to two months

Botulism Prevention

Before use, a thorough check of canned products is necessary, the mandatory removal of "bomb" (inflated) cans. Before use, it is necessary to warm up (100 * C - 30 minutes) home-cooked mushroom, meat and vegetable canned food.

After sampling for laboratory tests, the products that caused the infection must be removed and destroyed. Tableware that has been in contact with contaminated products, as well as linen contaminated with the patient's secretions, are thoroughly disinfected. People who have consumed the products that caused the disease are shown the mandatory administration of anti-botulinum serum, followed by medical supervision for at least ten days.