18-Clostridium Botulinum Flashcards
Clostridium genus: gram stain, oxygen, shape
gram + rods, obligate anaerobes
Clostridium: what does it look like
subterminal spores = tennis racket
What are the MC serotypes of Botulinum toxin? (3)
A, B, E
What is the MOA of the Botulism toxin? and it’s effect on humans?
prevents release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction (peripheral nervous system) –> flaccid paralysis
what are the names of toxin subunits “A” and “B”? and what are their general functions
A subunit = Light chain: cleaves SNARE proteins preventing dumping of ACh vesicle into synaptic cleft
B subunit = Heavy chain: binds neurons, allowing Light chain into the cytoplasm where it is active. Otherwise the toxin will be kept outside the cells!
Where specifically is the B. toxin active?
in the cytoplasm of neurons
What type of enzyme is the Light chain of B.toxin
zinc endopeptidase
What are 3 transmissions/diseases of the B.toxin?
food-borne
wound
infant botulism
What is the difference between food-borne, wound, and infant botulism?
Food = toxin ingestion
Both infant and wound = bacteria infection and toxin production inside human
Rank the three botulsim diseases in order of frequency
infant»_space; wound > food borne
how is the toxin spread in a food-borne infection
by the bloodstream
early sx of food borne infx
- CN deficits: difficulty seeing, swallowing, speaking
- symmetric, descending, flaccid paralysis
how do you differentiate Botulism from MG, or Guillane-Barre?
No fever, no sensory abnormalities, no mental status changes in botulism
what is sx difference between wound and food-borne infx
wound: paralysis begins at infx site then spreads locally and systemically
i
what is sx similarity and difference between infant and wound infx
bacteria infect and then produce toxin in both.
Ininfants the bacteria grow in intestines, in wound it grows at the infection site
