Foodborne Botulism in Western Romania: Ten Years’ Experience at a Tertiary Infectious Disease Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze epidemiological data concerning foodborne botulism in Western Romania over the last decade. Botulism, the toxin formed by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, results in a neuroparalytic disorder capable of severe clinical progression that begins in the cranial nerves and progressively descends. Preventing progression to a severe case entails timely diagnosis since curative assets are restricted. Ingesting food containing a preformed toxin (foodborne botulism) is the most typical form. Methods: Medical records were retrospectively analyzed from 2010 to 2020 for all food botulism cases. A seroneutralization test was performed with type A, B and E anti-botulinum sera to establish the kind of toxin involved. Results: Overall, 18 cases of foodborne botulism were admitted to the hospital during this period and confirmed by laboratory analysis. Most of the participants in our study were men (61.1%), and 77.8% of the total lived in rural areas. All the participants showed classic symptoms of botulism, and dysphagia was present in all cases. The trivalent ABE antitoxin was administered by the hospital, and toxin type B was isolated in all patients. The main sources of the toxin were pork, ham and canned pork meat. Conclusions: Stronger efforts are needed to foster community awareness of foodborne botulism, particularly in home-preserved food.

Botulism Cases in Romania—An Overview of 14-Year National Surveillance Data

“…From the descriptive analysis of the data reported for 2007-2020, it was observed that botulism cases in Romania occurred every year, with a median of 22 cases per year. Both isolated cases and outbreaks have been reported [26]. The maximum number of cases was reported in 2007, when Romania ranked second in Europe in terms of number of reported cases, after Poland [27].…”

Botulizmo Klinikinis Pasireiškimas

“…Botulizmo eigos sunkumas priklauso nuo paciento individualių savybių ir nuo į organizmą patekusio toksino tipo ir kiekio [4]. Ligos eiga gali būti lengva, kai pasireiškus pirmiesiems simptomams, naujų nebeatsiranda, o esantys palaipsniui išnyksta [2].…”

“…Regėjimo sutrikimai apima neryškų vaizdą, dvejinimąsi akyse, oftalmoplegiją ir ptozę [3]. Botulizmas gali pasireikšti vangiuoju gerklės ir ryklės raumenų paralyžiumi [4]. Dėl šio paralyžiaus ankstyvas kvėpavimo funkcijos sutrikimas gali būti ne dėl kvėpavimo raumenų parezės, bet dėl viršutinių kvėpavimo takų sukritimo ar sekretų kaupimosi [3].…”

“…Daugeliui pacientų per pirmas 12-24 val. po užteršto maisto pavartojimo, pasireiškė gastrointestininių simptomų [4]. Viename JAV kalėjime 2016 metais įvykusio botulizmo protrūkio metu susirgo 31 asmuo.…”