Can Botulism Be Spread By Handling An Infected Animal
Animal Health - Botulism
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| Agdex#: | 400/660 |
|---|---|
| Publication Engagement: | January 2013 |
| Gild#: | xiii-001 |
| Last Reviewed: | |
| History: | |
| Written by: | Tim Pasma |
Table of Contents
- Cause
- Clinicial Signs
- Treatment
- Protection and Direction
- Transmission to Humans
- Reporting
Botulism is a rare illness that causes weakness and paralysis and can atomic number 82 to the decease of an creature or man. Botulism can be prevented by providing good quality feed and ensuring proper sanitation and, in humans, by following proper food canning techniques.
Cause
A bacterium called Clostridium botulinum produces the toxin that causes botulism. The bacteria produce spores that tin can remain inactive in the environment for a long fourth dimension. When dead animals and plants disuse, they create warm, moist and low-oxygen conditions that cause the spores to germinate, grow and produce toxins that touch the nervous system.
Botulism outbreaks occur when animals eat improperly stored or spoiled silage, decaying vegetation, poultry manure, or feed and water contaminated with bird or rodent carcasses. Outbreaks can also occur in large numbers of aquatic birds (Figure 1). Occasionally, the leaner cause a disease of young foals called "shaker foal syndrome" (Effigy ii). It tin also infect surgical or injection sites.
Figure 1. Ducks tin can be affected by botulism. Source: Shutterstock.com
Figure 2. Botulism can occasionally cause a illness in immature foals called "shaker foal syndrome".
Clinical Signs
The disease usually affects cattle, horses, sheep and birds, and rarely occurs in dogs, cats and pigs. In the early stages of the disease, animals evidence signs of restlessness, tremors and incoordination. In rare mild cases, animals volition recover over fourth dimension, but virtually animals go weak, paralyzed and eventually die or accept to be humanely euthanized. In some outbreaks, big numbers of animals tin can be found dead or down over a curt period of time.
Treatment
Your veterinarian tin diagnose and provide treatment and communication for botulism. Treatment involves providing care and back up for the animals; an antiserum may be bachelor in some areas. Treatment of botulism is usually non successful in the advanced stages of the affliction. It is important to identify and remove the source of the botulism when an outbreak occurs. Make clean wounds infected with botulism thoroughly.
Prevention and Management
Never requite animals spoiled feed. Dispose of carcasses properly. Do not spread poultry litter on pasture that is to be grazed, baled or harvested for silage. A vaccine is available in some countries where the disease is common, but it is not available in Canada.
Transmission to Humans
Botulism in animals cannot be directly transmitted to humans. Botulism can occur in humans when the toxin is ingested or if the leaner abound in the intestines or wounds and the toxin is released there. Food-borne botulism is spread by consuming food contaminated with the botulism toxin or spores. Foods commonly associated with botulism include inadequately dwelling-canned foods with depression acid content, such as asparagus, dark-green beans, beets and corn; and lightly preserved foods such equally fermented, salted or smoked fish and meat products. Cases of botulism have as well occurred in infants; some of these cases have been traced to the feeding of raw honey contaminated with botulism spores.
Symptoms of botulism in humans include blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and weakness. If untreated, these symptoms may progress to paralysis and expiry.
People with symptoms of botulism should immediately seek medical attention.
Reporting
Veterinary laboratories in Ontario and veterinarians who use a laboratory outside of Ontario must notify the Ontario Ministry building of Agriculture and Nutrient and Ministry of Rural Diplomacy (OMAF and MRA) if a example of botulism is diagnosed in Ontario. OMAF and MRA volition work with veterinarians to ensure that the disease is being controlled in animals.
Additional data on animal health can exist constitute at www.ontario.ca/animalhealth.
Source: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/vet/facts/13-001.htm
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