Infant botulism: two recent cases and literature review

Abstract

Infant botulism is a cause for significant pediatric morbidity in the United States, though early recognition and supportive care can greatly improve clinical outcomes. Since the approval of human botulism immune globulin by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of infant botulism in 2003, the importance of prompt initiation of therapy has been emphasized, with clinical suspicion remaining the mainstay of diagnosis. In this report, 2 cases of infant botulism are described. Each presented to the Pediatric Neurology service at our institution in Upstate New York in the spring and summer months of 2007 and were felt to be related to markedly dusty environmental conditions and the probable ingestion of C. botulinum organisms present in soil. Following this, a comprehensive review of the literature regarding infant botulism in the United States is presented, wherein the pathophysiology, clinical features, epidemiology, and treatment are discussed.