[Diagnostic and therapeutic problems of botulism in infants (author's transl)]

The incidence of botulism remains high. This disease is burdened by a high lethality rate. It is of significant importance for the patient that therapy is instituted sufficiently early. Botulism is an intoxication with the toxin of Clostridium botulinum. In babies, botulism can be caused also by peroral infection with the bacteria or spores. It appears that intestinal germination to toxin-forming bacteria can occur in babies only. Since honey is very frequently contaminated with Clostridium botulinum spores, honey should be eliminated from baby food. The signs manifested in botulism in infants are similar to those in somewhat older children and adults: increasing muscular hypotonia, apathy, pareses of the cranial nerves, and, finally, respiratory insufficiency through paresis of the respiratory musculature. The authors report on their own observations in cases of botulism, and on current possibilities of treatment.