by : peterhutch

Botulism is most commonly found in canned foods and soups. The organism cannot survive in an oxygen environment, so it's not a worry with fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats. When the contaminated contents are not heated or processed correctly, the organism thrives.

Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin botulin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum . Foodborne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin. Maybe you've had fruits or vegetables that someone picked from the garden in the summer and jarred so they could be eaten during the winter months. There are three main kinds of botulism. There are three types of botulism food wound and infant botulism.

Infant botulism is a rare disease that can affect otherwise healthy children who are less than a year old. The only food linked to cases of infant botulism in Canada is honey, so Health Canada is advising parents and caregivers not to feed honey to infants.

A bacterium that occurs widely in nature and is a cause of botulism; it has six main types, A to F. Botulism is a rare but potentially very serious illness. The bacterium may be entered the body through wounds.

Infant botulism is a potentially life-threatening disease in which the bacteria Clostridium botulinum grows within the baby's gastrointestinal tract.

Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by the toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. This toxin affects the nerves and if untreated, can cause paralysis and respiratory failure. Botulism can be fatal if not treated quickly and properly.

In infant botulism, the baby does not ingest toxin; instead, spores from the botulism bacteria produce toxin in the baby's immature digestive tract. The toxins then travel to the baby's nerve cells leading to the characteristics symptoms of weakness and the "floppy infant syndrome."

Botulism occurs worldwide and affects more adults than children. Recently, findings have shown that an infant's GI tract can become colonized with C. botulinum from some unknown source, and then the exotoxin is produced within the infant's intestine. Incidence had been declining, but the current trend toward home canning has resulted in an upswing in recent years. Wound botulism occurs when open areas are infected with C. botulinum that secretes the toxin.

Clostridium botulinum is the name of a group of bacteria commonly found in soil and marine sediments worldwide; their spores are often found on the surfaces of fruits and vegetables and in seafood. These rod-shaped organisms grow best in low-oxygen conditions. The bacteria form spores that allow them to survive in a dormant state until exposed to conditions that can support their growth.

Clostridium botulinum (botulism): Causes severe illness affecting the nervous system. Symptoms start as blurred vision. The person then develops problems talking and overall weakness. Symptoms then progress to breathing difficulty and the inability to move arms or legs. Infants and young children are particularly at risk. It is transmitted in foods such as home-packed canned goods, honey, sausages, and seafood.