Botulism 101: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Complications, Treatment, And Prevention

Inhalational Botulism

Inhalational botulism is not a normally occurring disease, and thus, it is a rarer form of botulism. Research shows it was once described by a group of German laboratory workers in 1962 who experienced symptoms similar to foodborne botulism by inhaling an aerosol botulinum toxin, which may have produced an outbreak of botulism. The Illinois Department of Public Health stated inhalational botulism might occur when the pure form of the bacteria or toxin is inhaled into the lungs, where it may cause respiratory paralysis or spread to other areas of the body.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of botulism depend on the type. Foodborne illness may result in nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms may occur anywhere from three hours to eight days after eating the contaminated food. Wound botulism affects the nerves connecting the spine to the brain and may cause neurological symptoms such as blurry vision, impaired speech, facial weakness, dry mouth, and eventually paralysis. Infant botulism symptoms may include constipation, poor feeding, bad temper, flat facial expression, and respiratory problems.