Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Botulism is a rare but serious condition caused by toxins from bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. Three common forms of botulism are: Foodborne botulism. The harmful bacteria thrive and produce the toxin in environments with little oxygen, such as in home-canned food. Wound botulism. If these bacteria get into a cut, they can cause a dangerous infection that produces the toxin.
Infant botulism. This most common form of botulism begins after Clostridium botulinum bacterial spores grow in a baby's intestinal tract. It typically occurs in babies between the ages of 2 months and 8 months.
Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. For example, improperly home-canned, preserved, or fermented foods can provide the right conditions for spores to grow and make botulinum toxin. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. After three months to a year of recovery, persisting side-effects are most likely permanent.
These long-term effects most often include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, dry mouth, and difficulty performing strenuous tasks. Patients also report a generally less happy and peaceful psychological state than before their illness. If a patient displays symptoms of botulism, a doctor will most likely take a blood, stool, or gastric secretion sample. Sometimes botulism can be difficult to diagnose, since symptoms can be mild, or confused with those of Guillan-Barre Syndrome.
Since botulism poisoning most commonly comes from foods improperly canned at home, the most important step in preventing botulism is to follow proper canning procedure. To prevent infant botulism , do not give even a small amount of honey to an infant, as honey is one source of infant botulism. Mayo Clinic. Foodborne Illness A resource for foodborne illness. Print this fact sheet. Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and sometimes by strains of Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii.
There are three main forms of botulism: foodborne botulism , caused by eating foods containing the botulinum toxin; wound botulism , caused by toxin produced in a wound infected with C.
In the United States, cases of botulism are reported each year. Two other forms of botulism, adult intestinal colonization and iatrogenic botulism, also have been reported, but rarely. All forms of botulism can be fatal and are considered medical emergencies. Foodborne botulism is a public health emergency because many people can be poisoned by eating a contaminated food.
Infant botulism, first recognized in , now accounts for the majority of botulism cases each year. Infant botulism occurs when a susceptible infant ingests spores of Clostridium botulinum bacteria. These spores are found in dirt and dust and can contaminate honey. Infants are most susceptible to the illness between the ages of 3 weeks and months, but cases have been reported to occur as early as 6 days and as late as 1 year.
Although the possibility of wound botulism was recognized as early as , no actual cases were reported until Since the s, the incidence has steadily increased, mostly among injection-drug users. There currently are seven known types of Clostridium botulinum bacteria. These differ in such characteristics as proteolytic activity, tolerance to salt and reduced water activity, minimum growth temperature and heat resistance.
The proteolytic type A, B and F strains produce very heat-resistant spores which are a major concern in the processing of low-acid foods. These types digest proteins in foods and produce a foul odor that may warn consumers of spoilage.
The nonproteolytic B, E and F strains can grow at refrigerated temperatures, but produce spores of very low heat resistance. These types cause problems primarily in pasteurized or unheated foods. Because they are nonproteolytic, no off-odor or evidence of spoilage may be produced with toxin development.
Type C strains cause botulism in birds, turtles, cattle, sheep and horses. Type D is associated with forage poisoning of cattle and sheep in Australia and South Africa. No outbreaks of type G have been reported; however, type G has been isolated in cases of sudden and unexpected death in humans. Inactive Clostridium botulinum spores are found in soil and water throughout the world. In the spore form, these bacteria are relatively harmless.
The problem occurs when the spores germinate into vegetative or actively growing cells. As the vegetative cells grow they become overpopulated and begin to die.
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