This is a very dangerous, acute infectious disease caused by Clostridium bacteria. Sources of infection are smoked and dried fish, sausage, balyk, smoked meats, canned meat and fish, and most often canned mushrooms. Lamellar mushrooms are especially dangerous - russula, brilliant green, green, milk mushrooms, ryadovka, oyster mushrooms, champignons, etc.
A distinctive feature of botulism from other infectious poisonings is that the human body is affected not by the Clostridia themselves, but by the results of their vital activity - very dangerous toxins of nerve paralytic and poisonous action. Fresh and freshly cooked foods, even if they are contaminated with Clostridium spores, cannot cause botulism. Toxins are released only during long-term storage of products without access to oxygen and at a certain temperature. And these are the conditions that occur in canning and in meat and fish products of long-term storage in tight packaging. Only under such conditions do the spores turn into adult clostridia and begin to release toxins.
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Only under such conditions, spores turn into adult Clostridium and begin to release toxins.
These spores are constantly around – on the ground, in the air, in the water. Poorly processed products, unwashed fruits and vegetables, illiterate cutting of animal and poultry carcasses, contamination of fish meat when caught with barbed equipment - these are the main ways of contamination of products. And in the future - improperly heat-treated products - salting and smoking, canning with non-compliance with the technology - and spores get a chance to develop. Botulism spores are very resistant to temperature - they do not die at 100 degrees even for 5 hours! Only at 120 degrees (autoclaving canned food or high-quality smoking) destroys spores in 20 minutes. Therefore, home preservation, in addition to very high-quality washing of products, must necessarily undergo the pasteurization procedure, and this must be done with loosely sealed lids so that there is access to oxygen.
Only under such conditions, spores turn into adult Clostridium and begin to release toxins.
Tin cans (and vacuum-packed smoked meats) swell as Clostridium emits gases. Such jars must be thrown away immediately. But, in the early stages of development, there are few gases, so you can determine the presence of botulism by the smell of rancid oil. If there is even the slightest doubt about the quality of the product, throw it away immediately. And do not give them to pets - they are poisoned without a chance of cure.
Only under such conditions, spores turn into adult Clostridium and begin to release toxins.
10-14 hours after eating toxin-contaminated foods, weakness, severe headache appears, and the mouth dries out. Then severe abdominal pain begins, nausea and vomiting, bloating, diarrhea (rarely). Then vision problems begin - fog in the eyes, double vision, pupils are very dilated. A very strong feeling of thirst, but a person will not burn to drink - water comes out through the nose due to paralysis of the neck muscles. The pressure is low, there is no temperature. Then paralysis and death.
What to do if you suspect poisoning?
Immediately call an ambulance, and before its arrival, repeatedly flush the stomach with a soda solution, give a laxative, you can do an enema. Take suspicious products with you - they will be handed over for analysis. With timely hospital detoxification, a person recovers, although in the future liver problems are very common.