What is botulinum antitoxin used for?
Botulism antitoxin is used to treat symptoms of botulism in patients who are exposed to botulinum toxin.
How expensive is botulism antitoxin?
The current cost of the product is US$45,300 per vial.
Can botulism go away on its own?
Doctors treat botulism with a drug called an antitoxin, which prevents the toxin from causing any more harm. Antitoxin does not heal the damage the toxin has already done. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, you may need to stay in the hospital for weeks or even months before you are well enough to go home.
How is Clostridium botulinum spread?
Botulism is not transmitted from person to person. Botulism develops if a person ingests the toxin (or rarely, if the toxin is inhaled or injected) or if the organism grows in the intestines or wounds and toxin is released. Food-borne botulism is spread by consuming food contaminated with the botulism toxin or spores.
What does botulism look like?
the container is leaking, bulging, or swollen; the container looks damaged, cracked, or abnormal; the container spurts liquid or foam when opened; or. the food is discolored, moldy, or smells bad.
How long does it take for botulism antitoxin to work?
If the patient is naive to the anti-serum, the reaction will typically occur 1 to 2 weeks after administering the drug.
What antitoxin is used to treat botulism?
BAT [Botulism Antitoxin Heptavalent (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) – (Equine)] is a mixture of immune globulin fragments indicated for the treatment of symptomatic botulism following documented or suspected exposure to botulinum neurotoxin serotypes A, B, C, D, E, F, or G in adults and pediatric patients.
What foods can contain botulism?
Low-acid foods are the most common sources of botulism linked to home canning. These foods have a pH level greater than 4.6. Low-acid foods include most vegetables (including asparagus, green beans, beets, corn, and potatoes), some fruits (including some tomatoes and figs), milk, all meats, fish, and other seafood.
What does botulism look like in food?