Editing Clostridium botulinum (section)

== Pathology ==

=== Foodborne botulism ===
Signs and symptoms of foodborne botulism typically begin between 18 and 36 hours after the toxin gets into your body, but can range from a few hours to several days, depending on the amount of toxin ingested. Symptoms include:<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lonati D, Schicchi A, Crevani M, Buscaglia E, Scaravaggi G, Maida F, Cirronis M, Petrolini VM, Locatelli CA | title = Foodborne Botulism: Clinical Diagnosis and Medical Treatment | journal = Toxins | volume = 12 | issue = 8 | pages = 509 | date = August 2020 | pmid = 32784744 | pmc = 7472133 | doi = 10.3390/toxins12080509 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="mayosymptoms">{{cite web |date=June 13, 2015 |title=Botulism Symptoms |url=http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/botulism/basics/symptoms/con-20025875 |access-date=January 25, 2016 |publisher=[[Mayo Clinic]]}}</ref>
* Double vision
* Blurred vision
* [[Ptosis (eyelid)|Ptosis]]
* Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps
* Slurred speech
* Trouble breathing
* Difficulty in swallowing
* Dry mouth
* Muscle weakness
* Constipation
* Reduced or absent deep tendon reactions, such as in the knee

===Wound botulism===
Most people who develop wound botulism inject drugs several times a day, so determining a timeline of when onset symptoms first occurred and when the toxin entered the body can be difficult. It is more common in people who inject black tar heroin.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-31 |title=Injection Drug Use and Wound Botulism {{!}} Botulism {{!}} CDC |url=https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/wound-botulism.html |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=www.cdc.gov |language=en-us}}</ref> Wound botulism signs and symptoms include:<ref name="mayosymptoms" /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Schulte M, Hamsen U, Schildhauer TA, Ramczykowski T | title = Effective and rapid treatment of wound botulism, a case report | journal = BMC Surgery | volume = 17 | issue = 1 | pages = 103 | date = October 2017 | pmid = 29073888 | pmc = 5658925 | doi = 10.1186/s12893-017-0300-4 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
* Difficulty swallowing or speaking
* Facial weakness on both sides of the face
* Blurred or double vision
* Ptosis
* Trouble breathing
* Paralysis

===Infant botulism===
If infant botulism is related to food, such as honey, problems generally begin within 18 to 36 hours after the toxin enters the baby's body. Signs and symptoms include:<ref name=":2" /><ref name="mayosymptoms" />
* Constipation (often the first sign)
* Floppy movements due to muscle weakness and trouble controlling the head
* Weak cry
* Irritability
* Drooling
* Ptosis
* Tiredness
* Difficulty sucking or feeding
* Paralysis<ref name="mayosymptoms" />

===Beneficial effects of botulinum toxin===
Purified botulinum toxin is diluted by a physician for treatment of:<ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Chiu SY, Patel B, Burns MR, Legacy J, Shukla AW, Ramirez-Zamora A, Deeb W, Malaty IA |date=2020-02-27 |title=High-dose Botulinum Toxin Therapy: Safety, Benefit, and Endurance of Efficacy |journal=Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements |volume=10 |doi=10.5334/tohm.527 |doi-access=free |pmid=32149014 |pmc=7052428 |issn=2160-8288}}</ref>
* Congenital pelvic tilt
* Spasmodic dysphasia (the inability of the muscles of the larynx)
* Achalasia (esophageal stricture)
* Strabismus (crossed eyes)
* Paralysis of the facial muscles
* Failure of the cervix
* Blinking frequently
* Anti-cancer drug delivery<ref name="Arnon SS 2001">{{cite journal | vauthors = Arnon SS, Schechter R, Inglesby TV, Henderson DA, Bartlett JG, Ascher MS, Eitzen E, Fine AD, Hauer J, Layton M, Lillibridge S, Osterholm MT, O'Toole T, Parker G, Perl TM, Russell PK, Swerdlow DL, Tonat K | title = Botulinum toxin as a biological weapon: medical and public health management | journal = JAMA | volume = 285 | issue = 8 | pages = 1059–1070 | date = February 2001 | pmid = 11209178 | doi = 10.1001/jama.285.8.1059 }}</ref>

===Adult intestinal toxemia===
A very rare form of botulism that occurs by the same route as infant botulism but is among adults. Occurs rarely and sporadically. Signs and symptoms include:<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Harris RA, Anniballi F, Austin JW | title = Adult Intestinal Toxemia Botulism | journal = Toxins | volume = 12 | issue = 2 | pages = 81 | date = January 2020 | pmid = 31991691 | pmc = 7076759 | doi = 10.3390/toxins12020081 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
* Abdominal pain
* Blurred vision
* Diarrhea
* [[Dysarthria]]
* Imbalance
* Weakness in arms and hand area<ref>{{cite web | title = Botulism | url = https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/index.html | work = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | access-date  = 23 October 2016 }}</ref>