Botulism: The Present Status of the Disease

Abstract

Botulism is a very serious foodborne illness, often fatal, and characterized by neuroparalytic signs and symptoms. Early observations found an association with consumption of sausages, and thus the name botulism (derived from botulus, Latin for sausage) was given to the disease (Smith and Sugiyama 1988). Foodborne botulism is the result of ingestion of food containing neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. The disease may also result from toxin produced in vivo by organisms growing in an infected wound (wound botulism) or colonizing the intestinal tract (infant botulism).