A 40-year-old woman is evaluated for neck pain that has gradually worsened over the past several months. The patient reports a pulling sensation in her neck that causes difficulty in keeping her head straight. She has had no trauma and has no other medical conditions. Physical examination shows a spastic and thickened sternocleidomastoid muscle causing head tilt. The patient is diagnosed with idiopathic torticollis. She is treated with injections of a bacterial product into the affected muscle, with significant relief of her symptoms. The substance administered to this patient is derived from bacteria that most likely demonstrate which of the following characteristics?

Question

A 40-year-old woman is evaluated for neck pain that has gradually worsened over the past several months.  The patient reports a pulling sensation in her neck that causes difficulty in keeping her head straight.  She has had no trauma and has no other medical conditions.  Physical examination shows a spastic and thickened sternocleidomastoid muscle causing head tilt.  The patient is diagnosed with idiopathic torticollis.  She is treated with injections of a bacterial product into the affected muscle, with significant relief of her symptoms.  The substance administered to this patient is derived from bacteria that most likely demonstrate which of the following characteristics?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Clostridium botulinum is a spore-forming, gram-positive, anaerobic bacillus that synthesizes botulinum toxin, which prevents the presynaptic release of acetylcholine from the nerve terminal at the neuromuscular junction.  Botulinum toxin can be used to treat focal dystonia and other disorders of abnormal muscle contraction.

A 40-Year-Old Woman Is Evaluated for Neck Pain That Has