Palm | Kelapa Sawit

ABSTRACT: The botulism is a food intoxication (poisoning) caused by ingestion of preformed toxin produced by C. botulinum that may be ubiquitously found in soil. Tins, smoked dried or vacuum packed dried eat and vacuum packed fish as well as tins acquired from stores are involved. This paper is a retrospective study of food-borne disease with botulinum toxin from 2003 to 2008. Incidence of botulism in Romania was investigated using blood serum samples collected from suspected patients.

The tests were performed in the National Institute of Research and Development for Microbiology and Immunology “I. Cantacuzino”, from 2003 to May 2008. In our study mainly botulinum toxin type B was identified, and just in only one case serotype E was found. Botulinum toxin from blood serum samples was identified in 80 cases: 79 samples were of type B and one sample of type E. Food-borne botulism cases in Romania during the period 2003-2008 were as follows: 27 cases (13 %) in 2003, 18 cases (9%) in 2004, 21 cases (10%) in 2005, 23 cases (11%) in 2006, 110 cases (52%) in 2007, and 11 cases (5%) in 2008.