Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Botulism
Botulism is a rare but serious illness. The cause is a toxin (poison) made by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. It occurs naturally in soil.
There are several kinds of botulism. Foodborne botulism comes from eating foods contaminated with the toxin. Wound botulism happens when a wound infected with the bacteria makes the toxin. It is more common in heroin users. Infant botulism happens when a baby consumes the spores of the bacteria from soil or honey. All forms can be deadly and are medical emergencies.
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.
To prevent botulism:
- Be very careful when canning foods at home
- Do not let babies eat honey
- Get prompt medical care for infected wounds
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
It sits within Infections.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Botulism
24 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- BT-011 Pharmacokinetics of Botulism Antitoxin Heptavalent in Pediatric PatientsEmergent BioSolutions
- Injection of Botulinum Toxin for Thumb Carpometacarpal ArthritisRhode Island Hospital
- Study of the Drug B11-FC (Botulism Treatment)Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Health Ministry of the Russian Federation
Research already completed
- Tolerability and Immunogenicity of a Single 40-ug Dose of rBV A/B for the Production of BabyBIG®California Department of Public Health
- Retrospective Epidemiological Study on Botulism in Intensive Care Units in FranceCentre Hospitalier le Mans
- Pilot Study on the Usefulness of 3,4-diaminopyridine in the Treatment of BotulismCentre Hospitalier Universitaire, Amiens
- Effect of Amifampridine on Neuromuscular Transmission in Patients Treated With OnabotulinumtoxinAWake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study to Evaluate Safety and PK of a Single IM Dose of G03-52-01 vs Placebo in Adult SubjectsAlachua Government Services, Inc.
- Botulism Antitoxin Effects on Paralysis Induced by Botulinum Neurotoxins in the EDB MuscleEmergent BioSolutions
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- About BotulismCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- BotulismMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Symptoms
- Symptoms of BotulismCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Issues
- Home-Canned FoodsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Statistics and Research
- National Botulism SurveillanceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: BotulismNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Botulism. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Botulism, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.