• DOI:10.1542/peds.2009-2319
• Corpus ID: 19744459

Rapid Detoxification of Cereulide in Bacillus cereus Food Poisoning

@article{Shiota2010RapidDO,
  title={Rapid Detoxification of Cereulide in Bacillus cereus Food Poisoning},
  author={Mitsutaka Shiota and Keiko Saitou and Hiroshi Mizumoto and Masanori Matsusaka and Norio Agata and Masahiro Nakayama and Masayoshi Kage and Shinji Tatsumi and Akira Okamoto and Seiji Yamaguchi and Michio Ohta and Daisuke Hata},
  journal={Pediatrics},
  year={2010},
  volume={125},
  pages={e951 - e955}
}

• M. Shiota, Keiko Saitou, +9 authors D. Hata
• Published 1 April 2010
• Medicine
• Pediatrics

Bacillus cereus is recognized as a major pathogenic bacterium that causes food poisoning and produces gastrointestinal diseases of 2 types: emetic and diarrheal. The emetic type, which is often linked to pasta and rice, arises from a preformed toxin, cereulide, in food. Rapid and accurate diagnostic methods for this emetic toxin are important but are limited. Here we describe 3 patients with B cereus food poisoning in which cereulide was detected and measured sequentially. Three family members began to vomit frequently 30 minutes after consuming reheated fried rice. After 6 hours, a 1-year-old brother died of acute encephalopathy. A 2-year-old sister who presented with unconsciousness recovered rapidly after plasma exchange and subsequent hemodialysis. Their mother recovered soon by fluid therapy. From leftover fried rice and the children's stomach contents, B cereus was isolated. Serum cereulide was detected in both children; it decreased to an undetected level in the sister. These cases highlight the importance of measuring the value of cereulide, which would reflect the severity of B cereus emetic food poisoning. The cases also suggest the possible role of blood-purification therapy in severe cases.