Infant Botulism Type Ba: First Culture-Confirmed Case in the United Arab Emirates

• Published in: Pediatric neurology Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 204 - 206
• Main Authors: Fathalla, Waseem M., MD, Mohammed, Khalid A., MD, Ahmed, Elamin, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-09-2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Botulism - complications; Botulism - diagnosis; Botulism - drug therapy; Clostridium botulinum type B - drug effects; Clostridium botulinum type B - isolation & purification; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulins - administration & dosage; Immunoglobulins - therapeutic use; Infant; Medical sciences; Muscle Weakness - etiology; Muscle Weakness - physiopathology; Neurology; Pediatrics; Treatment Outcome; Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses; United Arab Emirates; United Arab Emirates; Human; Infection; Bacteriosis; Infant; Nervous system diseases; Botulism
• ISSN: 0887-8994; 1873-5150
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2008.05.001

We report on a 3-month-old girl with culture-confirmed infant botulism caused by a rare double toxin-producing Clostridium botulinum type Ba. This case was not related to honey-feeding. The clinical course was prolonged, with minimal spontaneous improvement at onset, and a period of fluctuating motor weakness and nasogastric feeding dependence afterward. Neurophysiologic studies produced normal results. Human botulism immune globulin was administered empirically on day 23 of presentation, with rapid full recovery. This case highlights the importance of pursuing diagnoses of infant botulism despite normal results of neurophysiologic testing and no history of honey-feeding. Our case also demonstrates a favorable response to human botulism immune globulin, despite the relatively late treatment.