Botulism - a rare but still present, life-threatening disease

Botulism caused by toxins of Clostridium botulinum and other neurotoxic clostridia is a rare but life-threatening disease with neurological symptoms. Food-borne botulism (Food poisoning) is the most common type worldwide; rarely, wound botulism infant botulism, or botulism of unknown etiology may also occur. Botulism is a very rare disease in the Czech Republic also well, with only nine cases reported since 2008 (EPIDAT). These were mostly sporadic cases of food-borne botulism except a small family outbreak with three cases due to the consumption of homemade pork pate (2013). This outbreak prompted the creation of a national standby supply of life-saving anti-infective drugs in Prague. This article reviews the etiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and therapy of botulism.