Botulism

Botulism is a rare but life-threatening illness in which a toxin made by Clostridium botulinum bacteria causes muscle weakness that can progress to paralysis. Cases are uncommon; wound botulism is more frequent with injected drug use, and infants are exposed through spores in honey, soil or sand. The toxin enters the body through contaminated food, an infected wound, swallowed spores, or excessive therapeutic or cosmetic injection of the toxin. Typical features are double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, trouble swallowing and weak muscles, with paralysis spreading downwards to the breathing muscles; infants may be floppy and feed poorly. Diagnosis rests on clinical history and examination, confirmed by finding the toxin or culturing the bacterium from serum, stool, wound or food, since stroke can look similar. Treatment is an emergency: antitoxin given early, intensive supportive care including ventilation, and, for wound botulism, antibiotics and surgery to remove infected tissue.

Seek urgent care for a high fever with a stiff neck, rash, confusion, difficulty breathing, or fever after travel to a malaria area. See a doctor when a fever lasts more than three days, when symptoms return after treatment, or when you may have been exposed to an infection that needs testing. Call the local emergency number for any symptom that is sudden and severe. This page is a reference for healthcare professionals and does not replace an assessment.