Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Botulism in Infants
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Prevention & Expectations
What can be done to prevent the infection?
To keep babies safe, follow these steps.
Botulinum spores are heat-resistant. Although the toxin may be destroyed by heat, by boiling foods for 10 minutes or heating at 176 degrees to 212 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes before eating, only high temperatures obtained in a pressure cooker can destroy bacterial spores in food. All low-acid foods must be canned in a pressure canner at 240 degrees Fahrenheit (or 115.6 degrees Celsius) to destroy botulism spores.
Commercially canned foods are rarely responsible for botulism. But when sealed foods are not processed at high enough temperatures to kill the organism, the toxin and spores can thrive in the sealed container. The bacteria do not need oxygen to survive.
What are the long-term effects of the infection?
When botulism is not treated, the death rate is very high. In recent years, it has decreased among adults due to the development of an antitoxin.
If a baby survives the first few days after botulism has been diagnosed and treated, recovery is usually complete. If serious respiratory paralysis occurs, this condition may be fatal.
What are the risks to others?
This illness does not spread from one person to another. However, tainted food or soil may affect anyone who comes into contact with it.