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Wound botulism
December 26, 2006Wound botulism in a man who injected heroin
In a case study in PLoS Medicine, doctors report on the case of a 35 year old heroin user who came to the accident and emergency department with double vision, slurred speech, drooping eyelids, and eye muscle weakness. The diagnosis turned out to be wound botulism.
Wound botulism is a potentially fatal illness that occurs when spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum contaminate a wound, germinate, and produce botulimum nerve toxin.
The doctors made the diagnosis promptly, and so were able to offer appropriate treatment, including putting the patient on a ventilator and giving him botulinum antitoxin. The patient made a full recovery.
The team of doctors who treated the man, a team by led Professor Sanjeev Krishna (St George's Hospital, University of London), says that the incidence of wound botulism following heroin injection into skin or muscle has risen dramatically in the UK since 2000. The reasons for this increase remain unclear, they say, "but may involve contamination of specific batches of heroin as well as changes in injection practices."
Citation: Vera J, Hensiek A, Woodrow C, Crawley F, Krishna S (2006) Ophthalmoplegia and slurred speech in an intravenous drug user. PLoS Med 3(12): e453.
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get- document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.003 0453
Public Library of Science
The doctors made the diagnosis promptly, and so were able to offer appropriate treatment, including putting the patient on a ventilator and giving him botulinum antitoxin. The patient made a full recovery.
The team of doctors who treated the man, a team by led Professor Sanjeev Krishna (St George's Hospital, University of London), says that the incidence of wound botulism following heroin injection into skin or muscle has risen dramatically in the UK since 2000. The reasons for this increase remain unclear, they say, "but may involve contamination of specific batches of heroin as well as changes in injection practices."
Citation: Vera J, Hensiek A, Woodrow C, Crawley F, Krishna S (2006) Ophthalmoplegia and slurred speech in an intravenous drug user. PLoS Med 3(12): e453.
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get- document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.003 0453
Public Library of Science
Botulism Current Events and Botulism News RSSNew explanation for nature's hardiest life form
Got food poisoning? The cause might be bacterial spores, en extremely hardy survival form of bacteria, a nightmare for health care and the food industry and an enigma for scientists.
UI chemists' DNA biosynthesis discovery could lead to better antibiotics
Combating several human pathogens, including some biological warfare agents, may one day become a bit easier thanks to research reported by a University of Iowa chemist and his colleagues in the April 16 issue of the journal Nature.
Scientists discover new chemical reaction for DNA production in bacteria and viruses
A team of researchers has discovered a new chemical reaction for producing one of the four nucleotides, or building blocks, needed to build DNA.
Nose-spray vaccine against botulism effective in first tests
A preclinical study found a new nasal spray vaccine to provide complete protection against a major botulism toxin, according to a study published today in the Nature journal Gene Therapy.
Scientists Reveal Structure of New Botulism Nerve Toxin Subtype
cientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have determined the atomic-level structure of a third subtype of botulinum neurotoxin - a deadly toxin produced by certain bacteria that causes the disease botulism, and is also used in cosmetic and therapeutic applications such as reducing wrinkles and calming a hyperactive bladder.
Advance offers revolution in food safety testing
Microbiologists at Oregon State University have developed a new technology to detect illness-causing bacteria - an advance that could revolutionize the food industry, improving the actual protection to consumers while avoiding the costly waste and massive recalls of products that are suspected of bacterial contamination but are perfectly safe.
Even before tomato warning, many Americans lacked confidence in the food safety system
A new national study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health Project on the Public and Biological Security finds that, in spite of a number of food safety incidents in recent years, most Americans remain confident that the food produced in the United States is safe. However, many have concerns about the safety of imported food produced in some other countries.
Researchers develop new ultrasensitive assay to detect most poisonous substance known
Scientists at City of Hope and the California Department of Public Health have developed a new ultrasensitive assay to detect botulinum neurotoxin.
Scientists Determine Drug Target for the Most Potent Botulinum Neurotoxin
Botulinum neurotoxin -- responsible for the deadly food poisoning disease botulism and for the beneficial effects of smoothing out facial wrinkles - can also be used as a dreaded biological weapon.
Researchers discover pathway to cell size, division
Organisms precisely regulate cell size to ensure that daughter cells have sufficient cellular material to thrive or to create specific cell types: a tiny sperm versus a gargantuan egg for example.
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