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Infant Botulism, Israel, 2007-2021.
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|January 24, 2023
Summary
Infant botulism (IB) is a rare condition. Recent Israeli data show a potential increase in IB cases, with older infant diagnoses and environmental factors possibly playing a role.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Toxicology
Background:
- Infant botulism (IB) is an intestinal toxemia causing descending paralysis.
- Recent epidemiological data for laboratory-confirmed IB in Israel are scarce.
- Understanding current IB trends is crucial for public health surveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the incidence and characteristics of laboratory-confirmed infant botulism in Israel from 2007 to 2021.
- To identify potential changes in epidemiology and risk factors compared to previous reports.
Main Methods:
- A national multicenter retrospective study was conducted.
- Data were collected on all laboratory-confirmed infant botulism cases reported in Israel between 2007 and 2021.
Main Results:
- Eight cases of infant botulism were reported during the study period.
- A cluster of 5 cases between 2019-2021 suggests a possible incidence increase.
- The median age at diagnosis was 6.5 months, older than previously reported.
- Environmental risk factors were identified in 6 out of 8 cases.
Conclusions:
- Infant botulism, while rare, may be increasing in incidence in Israel.
- The epidemiology and identified risk factors in recent cases differ from historical data.
- Further investigation into environmental exposures is warranted.
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