FND 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Botulinum Toxin, Clostridia, Abdominal Pain
Document Summary
Clostridia spp: gram positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacilli. Spore formation allows the bacterium to withstand harsh environmental stresses (heat, freezing, high salt, dehydration or high acidity) Vegetative state = when in rod shape: main species include environmental and soil bacteria (related to fruits and vegetables) C. botulinum source of botulinum toxin, of most concern, neurotoxin that can cause paralysis. C. difficile linked with hospital illnesses. Diarrhea: symptom onset 8-22 hrs, duration: one day or less, sources and mode of transmission. Widely distributed and may be found in most foods. Meat products which have been boiled, steamed, braised, stewed or inadequately roasted, allowed to cool slowly and served cold or poorly reheated: common foods. Temperature abused foods which are then reheated. Clostridium botulinum: gram positive anaerobic, spore-forming bacilli. Respiratory paralysis: sources and mode of transmission. Low acid foods (>ph 4. 6) which are improperly heat-processed and then packaged in an anaerobic atmosphere and held in the danger zone.