Clostridium botulinum, a foodborne pathogen and its impact on public health

Abstract

Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) is an important cause of human disease, especially in hospitalized patients, as well as in animals. Botulism is a debilitating sickness that disturbs the body's nervous system and is initiated by incorporation of powerful neurotoxins produced by C. botulinum bacteria. Botulism typically associated with the ingestion of botulinum toxin (BoNT), which is already involved in food, and therefore, toxins arrive the human body through the gastrointestinal tract to produce the standard form of botulism are called consumption botulism. The outbreak of the food industry contaminated by BoNT is a public health crisis. The bioterrorism threat regarding the deliberate distribution of BoNT food and / or the aerosolization of BoNT raises public health and safety due to high mortality and potential morbidity. The aim of this review was, therefore to open up the idea of the disease by C. botulinum and its impact on public health to protect consumers from diseases and toxins transmitted by food. Meeting these criteria, the issue of C. botulinum with the net programs of modern foods satisfies food poisoning, reducing the transmission of these pathogens and their spores and / or toxins from food and feed. There are many unanswered questions about the epidemiology of this pathogen, and it would be prudent to monitor the ongoing research on this organism to determine whether it represents a risk as a foodborne pathogen.