Infant botulism can happen if the spores of the bacteria get into an infant's intestines. The spores grow and produce the toxin which causes illness. Wound botulism can happen if the spores of the bacteria get into a wound and make a toxin.
What are the 3 types of botulism?
Botulism is a serious illness caused by a nerve toxin made by the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum). A toxin is a poison that is released by some bacteria. There are three types of botulism: food, wound and infant botulism.
What is wound botulism?
Wound botulism is a rare but serious illness that happens when a germ called Clostridium botulinum gets into a wound and makes a toxin. This toxin attacks your body's nerves, which can make it hard to breathe and can cause muscle weakness and even death.
What is the difference between foodborne botulism and infant botulism?
Infant botulism occurs mostly in infants under 6 months of age. Different from foodborne botulism caused by ingestion of pre-formed toxins in food, it occurs when infants ingest C. botulinum spores, which germinate into bacteria that colonize in the gut and release toxins.
What are the differences between adult and infant botulism?
About 90 percent of botulism cases occur in infants younger than 6 months old. Children under 12 months are also at a heightened risk of developing botulism. Older children and adults have digestive systems that are better equipped to fight off the bacterial spores found in contaminated foods like honey.
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