How deadly is Botulinus Typhus???

Question: How deadly is Botulinus Typhus???

Asked by curtismurray to Donna, Jo, Mark, Stuart, timcraggs on 21 Jun 2010 in Categories: General.
- Donna MacCallum answered on 18 Jun 2010:
  
  I’m not sure exactly what you mean by Botulinus Typhus.
  
  There is a toxin called botulinus or botulinum, which is produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. By weight, this toxin is the most toxic substance known to man!!!! However, american data says that if you have botulism 1 in 10 people will die. This toxin leads to muscle paralysis, including the muscles that allow you to breathe and the heart muscle which pumps blood around the body.
  
  I wasn’t sure what you meant by typhus – did you mean typhoid? Typhoid is caused by Salmonella typhi, which cause really severe diarrhoea – although this can be treated in the Western world – in less developed areas up to 1 in every two people who get typhoid will die.
  
  Therefore, both diseases can be fairly deadly – but it may depend upon how close you are to medical treatment.
  I hope that kind of answers your question!
- Joanna Buckley answered on 19 Jun 2010:
  
  Hiya Curtis!
  
  I’ve never heard of Botulinus Typhus but I have heard of a bacteria called Botulinus which causes Botulism and a disease called Typhoid.
  
  Typhoid is a disease which can be caught by drinking water or eating food which is contaminated with the poo of an infected person. I hope you’re not eating when you read this. This mainly happens in underdeveloped countries who unfortunatley don’t have the luxuries we do – like a fully functioning loo. We’ve got a lot to thank Thomas Crapper for. Typhoid is awful – you have a soaring temperature and frequently become delerious and you become very very dehydrated. There’s an injection for it and also you can be treated but if you don’t get treatment, there’s a real chance you could die. I imagine it’s not a good way to go – suffering for up to a month before.
  
  Then there’s Botulism. This is the daddy of disease. Catch this and you’re in trouble, Curtis. Thankfully it’s very rare but the last outbreak I can remember was this…
  
  http://www.cdc.gov/botulism/botulism.htm
  
  It’s a bit gruesome but essentially you become paralysed. It starts on one part of your body and then just works its way down. This is bad because all the things we come to rely on like breathing and your heart functioning are paralysed too. It can be cured but you have to go on a ventilator whilst the doctors go to work on the bacterium.
  
  You’ve heard of Botox, right? That stuff that famous people have injected into themselves to smooth out lines and wrinkles, well that the same stuff… but in minute amounts. Who’s have thought people would knowingly inject the most toxic substance known into their face?! They’re off their rockers if you ask me! 🙂
- Mark Lancaster answered on 21 Jun 2010:
  
  Very – a millionth of a gram and you’re a gonner

Question: How deadly is Botulinus Typhus???

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