Presentation
Most cases first presented with gastrointestinal symptoms followed by neurological symptoms, the most striking of which being difficulty in swallowing. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Case Presentation A 32-year-old female presented to the emergency department with a few hours' history of shortness of breath and weakness associated with chest tightness, congestion, hoarseness of voice, and difficulty swallowing. [cureus.com]
Patients may initially present with gastrointestinal distress, nausea and vomiting preceding neurological symptoms. [jhsph.edu]
Entire Body System
- Weakness
Dizziness, dyspnea, and weakness of the extremities were significantly more common in patients requiring assisted ventilation. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
In infants, symptoms include constipation, a flat facial expression, poor feeding, a weak cry, decreased movement, trouble swallowing, excessive drooling, muscle weakness, and breathing problems. [kidshealth.org]
According to the CDC, “symptoms of botulism usually start with weakness of the muscles that control the eyes, face, mouth, and throat. This weakness may spread to the neck, arms, torso, and legs. [apic.org]
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. [foodborneillness.com]
- Fishing
Another source identified was fish and fish products such as fermented salmon head, white fish, and fish eggs [3]. In the rest of the states, including Hawaii, 102 events occurred, affecting 160 people. [cureus.com]
The fish was bought fresh, grilled, and eaten immediately; severe illness appeared to be associated with eating the cooked fish intestines ( 13 ). [wwwnc.cdc.gov]
Gastrointestinal symptoms and signs were prominent, but neurologic complaints, although noted soon after the consumption of the fish in one patient, did not progress until late in the course of the patient's illness. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that botulism toxin has been found in: preserved vegetables with low acid content, such as beets, spinach, mushrooms, and green beans canned tuna fish fermented, smoked, and salted fish meat products, such as [healthline.com]
- Fatigue
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. [foodborneillness.com]
Sometimes fatigue and shortness of breath can last for years. [drugs.com]
Signs and symptoms Symptoms in adults may include: an initial short period of diarrhoea and vomiting, followed by constipation blurred vision difficulty in speaking, swallowing and breathing dry mouth weakness, fatigue and ultimately paralysis of the [healthywa.wa.gov.au]
Torres tells the Sacramento Bee that within hours on consuming nacho cheese from a gas station on the way home from work, Kelly felt fatigued and she complained of double vision. She went to the hospital, but was sent home hours later. [self.com]
These are followed by neurological symptoms: visual impairments (blurred or double vision), loss of normal throat and mouth functions (difficulty speaking and swallowing; dry mouth, throat, and tongue; and sore throat), general fatigue, lack of muscle [fsis.usda.gov]
- Fever
In general, symptoms of botulism poisoning include the following: Nausea Vomiting Fatigue Dizziness Double vision Dry skin, mouth and throat Drooping eyelids Difficulty swallowing Slurred speech Muscle Weakness Body Aches Paralysis Lack of fever Infant [foodborneillness.com]
Fever is unusual, as is loss of sensation. Differential diagnosis Descending form of acute inflammatory polyneuropathy. Guillain-Barré syndrome. Poisoning. Myasthenia gravis. Bulbar palsy. [patient.info]
There is no fever and no loss of consciousness. The symptoms are not caused by the bacterium itself, but by the toxin produced by the bacterium. [who.int]
Botulism poisoning does not cause fever. Patients typically are fully alert and aware of their situation. Although the patient's muscles may be paralyzed, they can still feel pain, temperature, and touch. [centerforhealthsecurity.org]
- Disability
Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker [cadredesante.com]
Early treatment reduces the risk of permanent disability and death. However, even with treatment botulism can be fatal. Without treatment, more than 50% of people with botulism would die. Even with treatment botulism can be fatal. [drugs.com]
Respiratoric
- Dyspnea
Dizziness, dyspnea, and weakness of the extremities were significantly more common in patients requiring assisted ventilation. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Results: A 36 years-old patient “A”, a 49 years-old patient “B” and a 17 years-old patient “C” have abdominal pain, vomiting, difficulty swallowing and speaking, dyspnea, asthenia and xerostomia at day 1. [jle.com]
Abstract A 32-year-old female presented to the emergency department with complaints of diplopia, followed by dyspnea, chest tightness, congestion, and dysphagia. The patient was resuscitated and initial investigations were done. [cureus.com]
Gastrointestinal
- Vomiting
Of the 41 botulinal toxin-positive persons, 38 (93%) had at least three of the commonly recognized pentad of signs or symptoms--nausea and vomiting, dysphagia, diplopia, dilated and fixed pupils, or dry mouth and throat--and 20 (49%) required respiratory [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
A blood, stool or vomit analysis may also be ordered. Treatment of foodborne or infant botulism typically includes ridding the body of the toxin by inducing vomiting or bowel movements. Wound botulism may be treated by removing the infected tissue. [livescience.com]
Symptoms often begin with blurred vision and difficulty in swallowing and speaking, but sometimes diarrhoea and vomiting can occur. The disease can go on to lead to further problems with vision, and paralysis. [patient.info]
Results: A 36 years-old patient “A”, a 49 years-old patient “B” and a 17 years-old patient “C” have abdominal pain, vomiting, difficulty swallowing and speaking, dyspnea, asthenia and xerostomia at day 1. [jle.com]
Treatment often includes trying to remove contaminated food from the intestinal tract by inducing vomiting or using enemas. [edition.cnn.com]
- Constipation
Generalized muscular weakness, visual disturbances, extreme dry mouth, and severe constipation were observed in all inpatients. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
In infants, symptoms include constipation, a flat facial expression, poor feeding, a weak cry, decreased movement, trouble swallowing, excessive drooling, muscle weakness, and breathing problems. [kidshealth.org]
Signs and symptoms in infants may include: constipation weak cry loss of head control loss of appetite breathing difficulties reduced movement of limbs and weakness. Death may result from paralysis of the breathing muscles. [healthywa.wa.gov.au]
Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention. [botulismblog.com]
- Overeating
Abstract Clinical features are described for 35 cases of endemic food-borne botulism managed at a single medical center over 14 years. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
(For comparison, there were a bit over 1000 cases of foodborne botulism from all foods in the entire U.S. from 1950-2000, in a population nearly a thousand times bigger.) [cooking.stackexchange.com]
It has been used to provide immunity against botulinum toxin over the past 30 years. However, supply of the toxoid is limited, and its use would eliminate possible beneficial uses of toxoid for medical purposes. [jhsph.edu]
A total of 16 deaths were recorded with four in elderly patients aged over 80 who lived alone. Serum was tested for 275 out of 421 patients of confirmed foodborne cases and resulted positive only for 20.4%. [foodqualitynews.com]
- Nausea
Of the 41 botulinal toxin-positive persons, 38 (93%) had at least three of the commonly recognized pentad of signs or symptoms--nausea and vomiting, dysphagia, diplopia, dilated and fixed pupils, or dry mouth and throat--and 20 (49%) required respiratory [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
In general, symptoms of botulism poisoning include the following: Nausea Vomiting Fatigue Dizziness Double vision Dry skin, mouth and throat Drooping eyelids Difficulty swallowing Slurred speech Muscle Weakness Body Aches Paralysis Lack of fever Infant [foodborneillness.com]
In rare cases, you may also experience nausea and vomiting. Infants with botulism may show signs such as weak cries, constipation, a flat facial expression, and difficulty breathing. [everydayhealth.com]
After botulinum toxins are ingested, the symptoms generally start with nausea, vomiting and dizziness. [lsuagcenter.com]
Symptoms: Muscle weakness Vision problems Dry mouth Difficulty speaking Nausea or vomiting, sometimes accompanied by diarrhea Trouble breathing/Respiratory failure Heart failure/Cardiac failure Paralysis starting from the top of the body, moving downwards [hnhu.org]
- Diarrhea
Dry mouth, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps are the first signals. [medbroadcast.com]
Symptoms: Muscle weakness Vision problems Dry mouth Difficulty speaking Nausea or vomiting, sometimes accompanied by diarrhea Trouble breathing/Respiratory failure Heart failure/Cardiac failure Paralysis starting from the top of the body, moving downwards [hnhu.org]
Gastrointestinal symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation. Death is usually caused by respiratory failure and airway obstructions. [fsis.usda.gov]
In food-borne botulism, signs and symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea followed by constipation and abdominal distention. There may be weakness and difficulty breathing. [medicalnewstoday.com]
Symptoms of botulism can include fatigue, weakness and dizziness; blurred or double vision; dryness in the mouth, throat and nose and difficulty in swallowing and speaking; headache; nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and, less commonly, diarrhea; and paralysis [canada.ca]
Jaw & Teeth
- Xerostomia
Results: A 36 years-old patient “A”, a 49 years-old patient “B” and a 17 years-old patient “C” have abdominal pain, vomiting, difficulty swallowing and speaking, dyspnea, asthenia and xerostomia at day 1. [jle.com]
Musculoskeletal
- Muscle Weakness
In infants, symptoms include constipation, a flat facial expression, poor feeding, a weak cry, decreased movement, trouble swallowing, excessive drooling, muscle weakness, and breathing problems. [kidshealth.org]
Common clinical features included ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, proximal muscle weakness, pupillary abnormality, and respiratory failure. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The botulinum toxin can affect the central nervous system and cause muscle weakness, paralysis and even death. In the United States, an average of 21 cases of foodborne botulism are reported each year. [lsuagcenter.com]
Symptoms of botulism in humans include blurred vision, dry mouth, trouble swallowing, and muscle weakness. The muscle weakness tends to start in the shoulder area and move downwards through the body. [softschools.com]
They attack the nervous system (nerves, brain and spinal cord) and cause paralysis (muscle weakness). [nhs.uk]
Eyes
- Blurred Vision
Symptoms of botulism include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. [kidshealth.org]
Additional symptoms of botulism are: double vision blurred vision drooping eyelids slurred speech difficulty swallowing a thick-feeling tongue dry mouth muscle weakness If you or someone you know has symptoms of botulism, see your doctor or go to the [apic.org]
Symptoms include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Treatment may include antitoxins, intensive medical care, or surgery of infected wounds. [medlineplus.gov]
Neurologic
- Stroke
Unless there is a clear cause, such as obviously contaminated food, doctors will first rule out other diseases that can mimic the symptoms of botulism, such as stroke and Lyme disease. [edition.cnn.com]
Conditions with similar symptoms to botulism include stroke, myasthenia gravis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome. [medicalnewstoday.com]
A diagnosis is made through a combination of clinical assessment by a physician and specialized tests to eliminate other illnesses or conditions such as a stroke, myasthenia gravis and Guillain-Barré syndrome, which may appear similar to botulism. [canada.ca]
In most cases, several other tests will be ordered: A brain scan, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, to check for other diagnoses such as stroke Blood tests to check for Lyme disease A lumbar puncture to help to distinguish botulism from [drugs.com]
Botulism is diagnosed through a combined assessment of the patient's symptoms and history and specialized tests to rule out other diseases that can appear as botulism, such as stroke, myasthenia gravis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. [health.gov.on.ca]
- Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Guillain-Barré syndrome. Poisoning. Myasthenia gravis. Bulbar palsy. [patient.info]
A diagnosis is made through a combination of clinical assessment by a physician and specialized tests to eliminate other illnesses or conditions such as a stroke, myasthenia gravis and Guillain-Barré syndrome, which may appear similar to botulism. [canada.ca]
Botulism is diagnosed through a combined assessment of the patient's symptoms and history and specialized tests to rule out other diseases that can appear as botulism, such as stroke, myasthenia gravis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. [health.gov.on.ca]
Misdiagnosis of botulism sometimes occurs as it is often confused with stroke, Guillain-Barré syndrome, or myasthenia gravis. Antitoxin should be administered as soon as possible after a clinical diagnosis. [who.int]
Botulism is frequently misdiagnosed as Guillain-Barré syndrome, stroke, or other diseases of the central nervous system. [centerforhealthsecurity.org]
- Lethargy
[…] foods, home-canned or fermented fish, herb-infused oils, baked potatoes in aluminum foil, cheese sauce, bottled garlic, foods held warm for extended periods of time Incubation Period Infants: 3-30 days Children and adults: 12-72 hours Symptoms Infants: Lethargy [foodsafety.gov]
Symptoms in an infant include lethargy, poor appetite, constipation, drooling, drooping eyelids, a weak cry, and paralysis. Long-Term Effects of Botulism The majority of botulism patients never fully recover their pre-illness health. [foodborneillness.com]
In infant botulism, signs and symptoms may include : constipation poor feeding bad temper excessive drooling when feeding sagging eyelids flat facial expression lethargy and listlessness respiratory difficulties slow or improper reflexes weak crying weakly [medicalnewstoday.com]
[…] the mouth More severe cases can cause these additional symptoms: Slurred or garbled speech Difficulty swallowing Muscle weakness in arms or legs; general fatigue Difficulty breathing, sometimes severe In infants, usually constipation at first; also lethargy [drugs.com]
- Headache
Symptoms of botulism can include fatigue, weakness and dizziness; blurred or double vision; dryness in the mouth, throat and nose and difficulty in swallowing and speaking; headache; nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and, less commonly, diarrhea; and paralysis [canada.ca]
- Asthenia
Results: A 36 years-old patient “A”, a 49 years-old patient “B” and a 17 years-old patient “C” have abdominal pain, vomiting, difficulty swallowing and speaking, dyspnea, asthenia and xerostomia at day 1. [jle.com]
Workup
The general workup, including biochemical and hematological investigations, came out to be normal except for a mildly decreased serum calcium (7.9 mg/dl). The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain was also normal. [cureus.com]
Treatment
Recovery with this type of treatment can take weeks or months. Death can occur from respiratory failure if diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Those suspected of having food-borne botulism should seek medical treatment at a hospital immediately. [hnhu.org]
Treatment for botulism Botulism needs to be treated in hospital. [nhs.uk]
This report provides a reminder to public health professions of the occurrence, diagnosis, treatment and control of this rare but serious food-borne disease. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Botox treatments employ the purified and heavily diluted botulinum neurotoxin type A. [who.int]
Prognosis
A long incubation time was associated with a better prognosis. Although botulism is a potentially fatal disease, there was no mortality in this outbreak. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The prognosis depends on early diagnosis and administration of the antitoxin, which may reduce the further deterioration of muscle weakness and the severity of the disease [5]. [cureus.com]
The patient’s respiratory vital capacity is closely monitored and a ventilation machine is provided for breathing support, if required Prognosis Botulism tends to occur in small outbreaks. [news-medical.net]
[…] in the USA: Prompt treatment of infant botulism type A or type B was found to be safe and effective in shortening the length and cost of the hospital stay and the severity of illness. [ 6 ] Further evaluation has supported the initial findings. [ 7 ] Prognosis [patient.info]
Prognosis Although botulism can cause severe and prolonged symptoms, most people recover completely from the illness. Early treatment reduces the risk of permanent disability and death. However, even with treatment botulism can be fatal. [drugs.com]
Etiology
Foodborne botulism accounted for 2 illnesses, or 1 percent of all cases, with 1 death, infant botulism for 135 illnesses, or 88 percent of all cases, wound botulism for 14 illnesses, or 9 percent of all cases, and botulism of unknown or other etiology [foodsafetynews.com]
Of these, 20 were foodborne, 102 infant, 13 wound, and 5 of unknown or other etiology (CDC 2013). Then, in 2014 there were 161 confirmed and 16 probable cases of botulism reported. [edis.ifas.ufl.edu]
Epidemiology
Even though since the mid-1990s the number of food-borne botulism cases has systematically decreased and it now occurs in Poland relatively rarely, it is still a real epidemiological problem. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
It discusses the nature of illnesses; the epidemiology of pathogens; and current detection, prevention, and control methods. It also features chapters on the globalization of the food supply, seafood toxins, and other miscellaneous agents. [books.google.de]
Food-borne botulism: still actual topic Summary Even though since the mid-1990s the number of food-borne botulism cases has systematically decreased and it now occurs in Poland relatively rarely, it is still a real epidemiological problem. [casereports.bmj.com]
His research interests include the epidemiology of bacterial enteric infections with a special focus on botulism. Top References Shapiro R, Hathaway C, Swerdlow DL. Botulism in the United States: a clinical and epidemiologic review. [wwwnc.cdc.gov]
Contact your doctor or the Southern Nevada Health District, Office of Epidemiology at (702) 759-1300. [southernnevadahealthdistrict.org]
Prevention
Prevention of Botulism 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. [foodborneillness.com]
And they were already taking rather extreme measures to try to prevent it (like very long processing times, which were probably at least somewhat effective in decreasing the incidence of botulism, even if not preventing it entirely). [cooking.stackexchange.com]
The only way to ensure prevention of foodborne botulism is to prevent the neurotoxin production within those foods. [microbewiki.kenyon.edu]