Foodborne Botulism in the Republic of Georgia
نویسندگان
چکیده
Foodborne botulism is a potentially fatal, paralytic illness that can cause large outbreaks. A possible increase in botulism incidence during 2001 in the Republic of Georgia prompted this study. We reviewed surveillance data and abstracted records of patients with botulism who were hospitalized from 1980 to 2002. During this period, 879 botulism cases were detected. The median annual incidence increased from 0.3 per 100,000 during 1980 to 1990 to 0.9 per 100,000 during 1991 to 2002. For 706 botulism patients hospitalized from 1980 to 2002, 80% of their cases were attributed to home-preserved vegetables. Surveillance evaluation verified that botulism incidence varied greatly by region. Georgia has the highest nationally reported rate of foodborne botulism in the world. A strategy addressing individual behaviors in the home is needed to improve food safety; developing this strategy requires a deeper understanding of why botulism has increased and varies by region.
منابع مشابه
Foodborne botulism in the Republic of Georgia: implications for preparedness planning.
In this issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Varma et al. [1] present data from nearly a quarter century of foodborne botulism cases in the Republic of Georgia [1]. The results may provide Georgia with a cost-saving alternative to the management of botulism cases and may offer guidance for those who are preparing plans for mass numbers of casualties due to botulinum intoxication. The authors ...
متن کاملFoodborne Botulism: A Study of 57 Cases in Northwest Iran
Background: Foodborne botulism (FBB) is a rare paralyzing disease caused by ingestion of foods contaminated with botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). It is still a health concern in many countries. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of FBB in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Methods: Botulism surveillance data of the Health Deputy of Urmia Medical Sciences University, northwestern Iran ...
متن کاملBotulism Outbreak in a Family after Ingestion of Locally Produced Cheese
Botulism is one of the most important foodborne diseases and is caused by Clostridium botulinum toxin. The main manifestations are flaccid muscle paralysis and cranial nerve palsies. Botulism is an essential health problem because of its high mortality. The diagnosis of botulism, especially in sporadic cases, is a medical challenge and a high clinical suspicion is necessary for early recognitio...
متن کاملLong-term outcomes of 217 botulism cases in the Republic of Georgia.
BACKGROUND The acute paralytic syndrome of botulism has been well-described; however, little is known about its long-term consequences. METHODS We conducted a case-control study in the Republic of Georgia to evaluate the health of patients > or =6 months after they had experienced an episode of botulism. Case patients were selected on the basis of who had had a clinical diagnosis of foodborne...
متن کاملInfant Botulism: a Summary
Infant botulism is a rare paralytic disease caused by the microorganism Clostridium botulinum. If an infant swallows enough spores, the spores can colonize the large intestine, multiply and produce toxin. The toxin is absorbed into the body and carried to the nerve endings, which results in muscular impairment. Infant botulism differs from foodborne botulism in where and when the toxin is produ...
متن کامل