Summary from CDC email:
"Botulism is serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks nerves and causes muscle paralysis, difficulty breathing, and even death. Foodborne botulism is one of the five main kinds of botulism. This month, CDC published the first comprehensive clinical care guidelines for botulism in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
CDC developed the guidelines through a multiyear process involving extensive expert input and six systematic reviews of 100 years of scientific literature.
The guidelines provide:
- Recommended best practices for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring people with botulism
- Special considerations for infants, children, and pregnant or breastfeeding patients
- Suggestions for supportive care, including psychosocial support for patients and family members
The guidelines are intended for the treatment of one or many patients, and they would be especially useful during an outbreak in which resources, such as ventilators, medical staff, and antitoxin, might be in short supply."