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Botulism

  Just The Facts
What is Botulism?

Botulism is a muscle-paralyzing disease caused by a toxin or poison made by bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. This bacteria is found in soil where it lives as a spore. A spore is a hard shell that covers the bacteria.

 
There are three main kinds of botulism:
  • Food borne botulism leads to illness within a few hours to days. Food borne botulism is a public health emergency because the contaminated food may still be eating by other persons besides the patient. 
  • Intestinal (infant) botulism occurs in a small number of infants each year who swallow the spores of the bacteria food. Spores of the bacteria do not cause botulism in adults unless they have weakened immune systems.
  • Wound botulism occurs when wounds are infected with the bacteria from the soil or gravel or from poorly treated open wounds.
 
What are the signs and symptoms?

With food borne botulism, symptoms begin within 6 hours to 2 weeks (most often between 12 and 36 hours) after eating contaminated food.

Symptoms of botulism include: double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness that always descends through the body: first shoulders are affected, then upper arms, lower arms, thighs, calves, etc.,  Vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and stomach swelling may also occur.

Paralysis of breathing muscles can cause a person to stop breathing and die, unless assistance with breathing (mechanical ventilation) is provided.

Intestinal (infant) botulism is rare. It only affects children under 1 year old and adults with unusual intestinal flora , often caused by medication.

The symptoms in infants can include constipation, loss of appetite, weakness, an altered cry and loss of head control.

Wound botulism is also rare. Symptoms are similar to that of food borne form but it may take as long as 2 weeks for them to develop.

 
How is it spread?

Botulism is not spread from one person to another. Most human cases result from eating improperly processed foods that are low in acid such as meat, fish and low acid vegetables. 

 
What can people do?

Call your doctor is you have any of the symptoms listed above. The toxins are destroyed by heat. Ensure that canned foods are high in acid content such as pickles or heat the food to boiling to destroy the toxin that may be present.  Canned foods from your grocery store are safe unless the can has a dent or a rust spot. Do not use food from damaged cans. 

To prevent infant botulism, do not feed infants formula to that has been sweetened with unpasteurised honey or corn syrup.

 
Botulism is a reportable disease and must be reported to the Local Medical Officer of Health under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Health Information Line at the
Brant County Health Unit 519-753-4937 extension 259.
 
 
Revised 08/2009
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 14 October 2009 )