A taste of honey.
Infantile botulism classically presents with a triad of clinical features: Bulbar palsies (slow/absent pupil response) Alert Absent fever Other common features are: Constipation, ptosis and poor feeding The diagnosis is a clinical one, confirmed by EMG and by testing stool for the organism, C. botulinum, or its toxin. Parents should be advised not to dip pacifiers in honey. In future Botulinum Immune Globulin may be available and should be considered if further trials are published showing benefit. Nosocomial infections, such as RSV, are important and should be carefully avoided, particularly in patients recovering from botulism.
McMaster
P
P
Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. Paddy_McMaster@compuserve.com
Piper
S
S
Schell
D
D
Gillis
J
J
Chong
A
A
D001906:Botulism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000175:diagnosis; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis