Abstract
Botulism is typically described as a rapidly progressing, severe neuroparalytic disease. Foodborne botulism is transmitted through consuming food or drink that has been contaminated with botulinum toxin. During a botulism outbreak linked to illicitly brewed alcohol (also known as “hooch” or “pruno”) in a prison, 11 (35%) of 31 inmates that consumed contaminated hooch had mild illnesses. This includes 2 inmates with laboratory confirmed botulism. The most frequently reported signs and symptoms among the 11 patients with mild illness included dry mouth (91%), hoarse voice (91%), difficulty swallowing (82%), fatigue (82%), and abdominal pain (82%). Foodborne botulism is likely underdiagnosed and underreported in patients with mild illness. Botulism should be considered on the differential diagnosis for patients with cranial nerve palsies.
Highlights
Foodborne botulism is a potentially fatal neuroparalytic illness that occurs through ingestion of food or drinks contaminated with a neurotoxin produced most frequently by Clostridium botulinum [1]
Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and CDC worked with the Bureau of Prisons (BoP) to identify inmates that were at risk for botulism within the prison
A variety of signs and symptoms were reported among the mild botulism patients, including abdominal pain and diarrhea, cranial nerve palsies, shortness of breath, and subjective weakness (Table 1)
Summary
Foodborne botulism is a potentially fatal neuroparalytic illness that occurs through ingestion of food or drinks contaminated with a neurotoxin produced most frequently by Clostridium botulinum [1]. The seven botulinum toxins (A–G) inhibit acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction, resulting in cranial nerve palsies that may progress to descending paralysis including respiratory failure [2]. Most botulism cases are identified when patients come to a hospital with severe illness including descending paralysis. 66% (204/332) of non-infant botulism patients in the United States reported to CDC during 2002–2015 had respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation [4]. Less severe cases not requiring hospitalization have been reported in outbreaks; published reports frequently focus on more severely affected cases, resulting in a paucity of information about less severe cases [5,6,7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
