Systematic Veterinary Bacteriology and Mycology

PATHOGENESIS

• C.botulinum is non invasive and virtually non infectious. Botulism is of three types.

Food borne botulism

• It is due to the ingestion of preformed toxin in foodstuffs.
• The toxin is adsorbed from the intestinal tract and is transported via the blood stream to peripheral nerve cells, where it binds to susceptible cells and suppresses the release of acetylcholine at the myoneural junctions.
• This result in flaccid paralysis , death being caused by circulatory failure and respiratory paralysis.

Wound botulism

• The spores are introduced into wounds where they germinate.
• Toxin is formed at this localized site and spreads through the body.
• The shaker foal syndrome in horse is thought to be caused in this way.

Infant botulism

• It occurs when spores are ingested in food and get germinate in the intestines when the normal flora has not been fully established.
• This form is seen in human infants (Floppy baby syndrome) and as rare epidemics of type C in broiler chickens and turkey poults.