Trivalent antitoxin
(not Type A monovalent)
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If someone has symptoms of botulism poisoning, they
should seek care from a health care provider for treatment. Fortunately,
medical treatment is available for this deadly disease. If diagnosed
early, patients can be treated with a life-saving medicine called
antitoxin. Antitoxin is |
not
kept in most health clinics. However, if needed, it can be quickly
delivered to a doctor anywhere in the country. |
"Usually
theyre given antitoxin when it is first suspected they might have
botulism. The sooner they get that, the better. It
doesnt make
everything
go away thats already happened, but it makes
the
poison, or toxin,
that is still in their body
less likely to cause
further problems."
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John Harvey, MD
Physician, Alaska Native Medical Center
Anchorage, Alaska |
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Doctors and nurses monitor how well the patients
are
breathing. If breathing becomes difficult, a tube is put into the lungs.
The patients are moved into the intensive care unit and kept on a breathing machine until they are
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able to breathe by themselves.
After about a week, they usually improve; The patients may stay in the hospital for a while longer until they
are well enough to go home.
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If patients have long-term problems with botulism, they
may have to be hospitalized for extended periods of time and may not be able to go back home
for quite a while.
"After
botulism I have been
feeling weak, even my hands,
even my joints.
Thats why I quit fishing. I dont work
much any
more, and I dont eat stinky
things after I got sick. I
dont
like to eat it any more because
it almost got me."
|
Elia
Botulism survivor |
There are no home remedies for botulism. Some people
believe that taking aspirin, drinking milk or seal oil, or vomiting will
cure botulism. This is not true. The only available treatment
is an antitoxin, which you have to get from
your health care facility, and then supportive care.
A lot of improvement has been made in keeping people
alive after they become ill with botulism.
In the 1950s one in three people died of botulism and now approximately
one in 20 die. Because people are aware of the symptoms, they go to their
health care facility sooner and get the antitoxin more quickly. If they
get help quickly, they are more likely to survive. Improvements
have also been made in transporting patients to medical facilities as well
as in the intensive care they receive at the hospital. The chance
of surviving botulism is much better than it was in the past, but botulism
is still a problem because more people are getting it than ever before.
Arnie Loera, MD
Clinical Director,
Kanakanak Hospital
Dillingham, Alaska
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"If you think you have botulism poisoning, seek medical
attention quickly, because the sooner we can treat you the
faster
youll get better." |
|
|
The only
treatment available for botulism is antitoxin, which is a
life-saving medicine that stops the action of the botulism
poison (or toxin). It doesnt make all of the problems that
have happened go away, but it does help to prevent further
problems. |
|
Seek medical
attention rapidly, because the sooner you can be treated, the
faster youll get better. |
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