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Botulism
(food-borne botulism and infant botulism)
What is botulism?
Botulism is a food poisoning caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria,
Clostridium botulinum. Only a few cases are reported in New York State
each year.
Who gets botulism?
Food-borne botulism is due to ingestion of a toxin formed in food.
It often involves improperly processed home canned foods. Botulism in
infants under one year of age has been associated with the ingestion
of contaminated honey.
How is botulism spread?
Person to person spread does not occur. A person must ingest contaminated
food that has not been properly cooked or reheated after the toxin has
been produced by the bacteria. With infant botulism, an infant must
ingest bacterial spores and then produce the toxin in his/her gastrointestinal
tract.
What are the symptoms of botulism?
Food-borne and infant botulism produce symptoms that affect the nervous
system. The symptoms of food-borne botulism include blurred or double
vision, general weakness, poor reflexes, difficulty swallowing and sometimes
death. Infant botulism has a wide range of symptoms including difficulty
breathing, visual disturbances, poor feeding and poor reflexes.
How soon do symptoms appear?
Symptoms of food-borne botulism usually appear 12-36 hours after ingestion,
but may take several days. The incubation period for infant botulism
is unknown.
What is the treatment for botulism?
Hospital care is necessary. Antitoxin is given in certain cases of
food-borne botulism, but not in cases of infant botulism .
What happens if botulism is not treated?
Untreated botulism may result in death.
How can botulism be prevented?
Identified sources of infant botulism, such as honey, should not be
fed to infants. All canned and preserved foods should be properly processed
and prepared. Bulging containers should not be opened and foods with
off-odors should not be eaten or even tasted. Commercial cans with bulging
lids should be returned unopened to the vendor.
Updated: April 1996
Source: NY State Department of Health
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