Devers Kelly G, Nine Jeffrey S
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Department of Pathology, MSC08 4640, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
J Forensic Sci. 2010 Nov;55(6):1649-51. doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01470.x.
In the United States, foodborne botulism is most commonly associated with home-canned food products. Between 1950 and 2005, 405 separate outbreaks of botulism were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Approximately 8% of these outbreaks were attributed to commercially produced canned food products. Overall, 5-10% of persons ingesting botulinum toxin die. Few reports exist pertaining to autopsy findings in cases of foodborne botulism. Here, we report the autopsy findings of a man who died after a prolonged illness caused by botulinum toxin exposure likely attributable to a commercially prepared food source. Despite extensive testing, our histopathologic findings were nonspecific. We therefore conclude that the forensic pathologist must become familiar with the neurotoxicity syndrome associated with this illness. Maintaining vigilance for botulism by carefully reviewing the decedent's clinical history will aid in the early identification and control of outbreaks, either foodborne or terrorism-related.
在美国，食源性肉毒中毒最常与家庭罐装食品相关。1950年至2005年期间，美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）共报告了405起单独的肉毒中毒疫情。其中约8%的疫情归因于商业生产的罐装食品。总体而言，摄入肉毒杆菌毒素的人中有5% - 10%会死亡。关于食源性肉毒中毒病例尸检结果的报告很少。在此，我们报告一名男子的尸检结果，该男子在因可能接触商业制备食物源中的肉毒杆菌毒素而患病很长时间后死亡。尽管进行了广泛检测，我们的组织病理学发现并无特异性。因此，我们得出结论，法医病理学家必须熟悉与这种疾病相关的神经毒性综合征。通过仔细审查死者的临床病史，对肉毒中毒保持警惕，将有助于早期识别和控制食源性或与恐怖主义相关的疫情爆发。
