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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of food-borne botulism typically begin between 12 and 36 hours after the toxin gets into your body. If infant botulism is related to food, such as honey, problems will generally begin within this time frame, too. However, the symptoms of wound botulism typically start about 10 days after you're infected by the bacteria.
Food-borne and wound botulism
Signs and symptoms of food-borne and wound botulism include:
- Difficulty swallowing or speaking
- Facial weakness on both sides of the face
- Blurred vision
- Drooping eyelids
- Trouble breathing
- Nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps (only in food-borne botulism)
- Paralysis
Infant botulism
- Constipation (often the first sign)
- Floppy movements due to muscle weakness, and trouble controlling the head
- Weak cry
- Irritability
- Drooling
- Drooping eyelids
- Tiredness
- Difficulty sucking or feeding
- Paralysis
Certain signs and symptoms usually aren't present with botulism, including no elevation in blood pressure or heart rate, no confusion and no fever. However, fever is sometimes present with wound botulism.
When to see a doctor
Seek urgent medical care if you suspect that you have botulism. Early treatment increases your chances of survival. Seeking medical care promptly may also serve to alert public health authorities, who can keep other people from eating contaminated food.
- Pegram PS, et al. Botulism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 29, 2010.
- Botulism. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/botulism_gi.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2010.
- Botulism. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec14/ch178/ch178c.html. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
- Sobel J. Botulism. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2005;41:1167.
- Abrutyn E. Botulism. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2867436. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
- Follow-up to the February 8, 2008, early communication about an ongoing safety review of Botox and Botox Cosmetic (Botulinum toxin Type A) and Myobloc (Botulinum toxin Type B). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/DrugSafetyInformationforHeathcareProfessionals/ucm143819.htm. Accessed Feb. 5, 2010.
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