Botulism in New South Wales, 1980-1981

The Medical Journal of Australia
W G Murrell, B J Stewart

Abstract

The isolation of Clostridium botulinum from the home environment of New South Wales patients with infant botulism is reported. Of the three cases of infant botulism type B, the bacteria were isolated from soil around the dwelling in one, and from tank rainwater in another. In one case with type A, the bacteria were present in the soil, vacuum-cleaner dust, and tank rainwater. The bacteria were not detected in the environment of two adult patients and a child with C. botulinum in their stools. The home location of the patients with infant botulism, and the frequency of isolation of the bacteria from rainwater, soil and vacuum-cleaner dust in Cobar, Nyngan, some Sydney suburbs, and at five pastoral homesteads suggest that infants in rural areas are more at risk than those in large metropolitan areas. The age of the infants with diagnosed botulism in New South Wales, compared with those reported in the United States data, strongly suggests that the disease is not being fully recognised in younger infants.

References

Feb 1, 1979·The Journal of Pediatrics·S S ArnonJ Chin
Aug 12, 1978·The Medical Journal of Australia·L K ShieldM Ritchie
May 11, 1968·The Medical Journal of Australia·N M BennettA Kucers
Mar 1, 1981·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·M DezfulianV R Dowell
May 30, 1981·The Medical Journal of Australia·W G MurrellD C Dorman
Oct 4, 1980·The Medical Journal of Australia·H M DouglasB J Stewart

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Citations

Aug 17, 1992·The Medical Journal of Australia·D L PatersonA Henderson
Jun 27, 2014·Frontiers in Microbiology·Mari Espelund, Dag Klaveness
Apr 14, 2020·Journal of Korean Medical Science·Hyeon Gu JangDa Eun Jung
Jun 1, 1994·The Journal of Applied Bacteriology·E A SzaboP M Desmarchelier
Dec 1, 1983·Australian Veterinary Journal·B R FarrowR M Zuber
Apr 15, 2011·Journal of Environmental Quality·W AhmedS Toze
Aug 6, 2005·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Jason R BarashStephen S Arnon
Apr 1, 1996·Clinical Microbiology Reviews·T F Midura
Jan 8, 1983·The Medical Journal of Australia·S S Arnon

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