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| {{CMG}}
| | #REDIRECT[[Clostridium botulinum]] |
| {{Botulism}}
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| ==Overview==
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| ==Causes==
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| Clostridium botulinum is found in soil and untreated [[water]] throughout the world. It produces [[spores]] that survive in improperly preserved or canned food, where they produce [[toxin]]. When eaten, even tiny amounts of this [[toxin]] can lead to severe [[poisoning]]. The foods most commonly [[contaminated]] are home-canned vegetables, cured pork and ham, smoked or raw fish, and honey or corn syrup. Botulism may also occur if the [[organism]] enters open wounds and produces toxin there.
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| Infant botulism occurs when living [[bacteria]] or its [[spores]] are eaten and grow within the baby's [[gastrointestinal tract]]. The most common cause of infant botulism is eating honey or corn syrup. Clostridium botulinum also occurs normally in the [[stool]] of some [[infants]].
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| Approximately 110 cases of botulism occur in the U.S. per year. The majority are in infants.
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| It has also been speculated that it is possible to acquire botulism through [[inhalation]]. So far, the only human cases of this occurring have been due to factory workers inadvertently inhaling it. It has been suspected that the botulinun toxin could be aerosolized into a weapon for use in a bioterrorist attack.
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist|2}}
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