Euro Surveill. Food-borne Clostridium botulinum intoxication from mass produced foodstuffs in Europe

[Giuseppe]

[Source: Eurosurveillance, full text: (LINK). Extract, edited.]

Eurosurveillance, Volume 16, Issue 49, 08 December 2011

Editorials


Food-borne Clostridium botulinum intoxication from mass produced foodstuffs in Europe


J Cowden ()<SUP>1</SUP>

1. Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland

<HR>
Citation style for this article: Cowden J. Food-borne Clostridium botulinum intoxication from mass produced foodstuffs in Europe. Euro Surveill. 2011;16(49)ii=20033. Available online: http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20033
Date of submission: 02 December 2011 <HR>
The incidence of botulism in the European Union (EU) in recent years is well described elsewhere [1]. In brief, in the EU between 2006 and 2008, 477 confirmed cases were notified: an average of 119 cases per year, with a range of 104 to 132, and no discernable trend.
The surveillance of cases of botulism in the EU includes the three main forms of the disease but does not distinguish between them [2].

• Food-borne botulism is caused by the ingestion of toxin produced by organisms in an anaerobic environment. It usually results from inadequately sterilised domestically canned or bottled foods.
• Intestinal botulism is caused by the production in the gut of toxin by organisms which have been ingested and have proliferated. This form predominantly affects infants under a year old, often associated with the consumption of honey.
• Wound botulism is caused by the production of toxin by organisms introduced into wounds. This is often associated with dirty wounds, including those following injecting drug use.

Botulism is a severe disease that can be fatal in 5-10% of cases [3]. (?)
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