Treatment of Botulism requires intensive medical and nursing care.
Patients usually take several weeks to recover from the disease.
Foremost method of treatment is to ensure that the patient is breathing properly.
It is easy to destroy botulinum toxin using oxygen.
The bacterium, Clostridium botulinum, cannot survive in aerobic environments.
Patients suffering with botulism might require artificial ventilation.
Artificial ventilation prevents respiratory failure.
Antitoxin should be immediately administered to the patient.
An antitoxin is a pool of antibodies that can effectively prevent the binding of the toxin to the nerve endings.
Antitoxins are useful in reducing the symptoms of the disease.
In case of infants, antibiotics are administered to kill the bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract.
Botulinum toxin is eliminated by washing out the stomach, a process called as gastric lavage.
In case of wound botulism, the infected wound is to be surgically treated.
One can avoid the occurrence of botulism by taking proper preventive measures.
Do not feed honey to infants less than one year of age.
Honey is difficult to digest and can transmit spores of Clostridium.
Spores are the dormant form of the bacterium that allow the organism to survive in extreme conditions.
Proper cooking of foods ensures removal of spores.
Canned foods should be cooked for at least 5 minutes at 85 °C before consumption.
Oils infused with garlic or other herbs need to be kept in a refrigerator.
Discard all raw or canned foods that show any sign of spoilage.
Do not taste food from swollen containers or foods that emit a bad odor.
Spores can enter through the soil.
Dirt should be periodically removed from the house and surroundings.
Wounds should not be kept open or exposed to the outside environment.