Question

Fun Fact # 1 : Did you know there are 5 types of botulism?

Answer 1

Botulism is a rare but potentially life-threatening neuroparalytic syndrome resulting from the action of a neurotoxin elaborated by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

The five types of botulism are :

1. Foodborne botulism — Ingestion of food contaminated by preformed botulinum toxin

2. Infant botulism — The ingestion of clostridial spores that then colonize the host's gastrointestinal (GI) tract and release toxin produced in vivo

3. Wound botulism — Infection of a wound by Clostridium botulinum with subsequent in vivo production of neurotoxin

4. Adult enteric infectious botulism or adult infectious botulism of unknown source — Similar to infant botulism in that toxin is produced in vivo in the GI tract of an infected adult host

5. Inhalational botulism — The form that would occur if aerosolized toxin was released in an act of bioterrorism

Botulism is classically described as the acute onset of bilateral cranial neuropathies associated with symmetric descending weakness. But also be on the lookout for these signs:

- Absence of fever
- Symmetric neurologic deficits
- The patient remains responsive
- Normal or slow heart rate and normal blood pressure
- No sensory deficits with the exception of blurred vision
- Nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms also may be seen and are occasionally the predominant manifestations

Answer 2

Eeewww! o.O but cool :) No.5 is kinda scary...