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Botulismo - Overview

Definición:

Es una enfermedad rara pero grave, causada por la bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Las bacterias pueden entrar al organismo a través de heridas o pueden vivir en alimentos mal enlatados o mal conservados.

Causas:

El Clostridium botulinum se encuentra en los suelos y en las aguas impotables de todo el mundo y produce esporas que sobreviven en los alimentos mal conservados o mal enlatados, donde generan la toxina. Al ingerirla, incluso cantidades pequeñísimas de esta toxina pueden provocar intoxicación grave.

Los alimentos que suelen contaminarse con mayor frecuencia son las verduras enlatadas en casa, carne de cerdo y jamón curados, el pescado crudo o ahumado y la miel o el jarabe de maíz. El botulismo también ocurre si la bacteria penetra a través de heridas abiertas y produce la toxina allí.

El botulismo infantil ocurre cuando las bacterias vivas o sus esporas son ingeridas y crecen dentro del tracto gastrointestinal del bebé. Su causa más común la constituye la ingestión de miel o jarabe de maíz.

El Clostridium botulinum también se presenta normalmente en las heces de algunos bebés.

Cada año, ocurren cerca de 110 casos de botulismo en los Estados Unidos y en su mayoría son en bebés.

Bacterias

Reviewed last on: 8/28/2009
Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Referencias

Bartlett JG. Clostridial infections. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier. 2007: chap 319.

Bleck TP. Clostridium botulinum (Botulism). In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2005: chap 243.

Long SS. Clostridium botulinum (Botulism). In: Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008: chap 189.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diagnosis and management of foodborne illnesses: a primer for physicians and other health care professionals. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2004;53(RR-4):1-33.

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