The enemy at the gate: Botulism
Ömer Taşkın1
, Ayça Açıkalın Akpınar2
1Emergency Service, Yüreğir State Hospital, Adana, Türkiye
2Department of Emergency Medicine, Çukurova University, Adana, Türkiye
Keywords: Antitoxin, botulism, Clostridium botulinum, iatrogenic botulism
Abstract
Botulism, caused by Clostridium botulinum, continues to pose a significant threat to public health. This review explores the historical context and contemporary relevance of botulism, emphasizing its potential lethality and evolving medical applications. In recent years, the use of botulinum toxin in medical procedures, particularly in cosmetic and therapeutic applications, has increased the risk of iatrogenic botulism. The rise in iatrogenic cases underscores the importance of vigilance among health care providers, especially those in emergency departments, where prompt diagnosis and intervention are critical. This review underscores the necessity for health care professionals to consider botulism in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with relevant symptoms, given the potential severity of the condition.
How to cite this article: Taşkın Ö, Akpınar AA. The enemy at the gate: Botulism. Turk J Emerg Med 2024;24:127-32.
The study does not require ethical approval.
ÖT: Conceptualization, methodology, investigation, resources, data curation, and writing – original draft. AAA: Conceptualization, methodology, investigation, resources, data curation, and writing – original draft, review, and editing, supervision. All authors approved the last version of the manuscript.
None Declared.
None.