Botulism food poisoning is caused by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. The food poisoning happens because of a toxin produced by that bacteria. It can cause severe and uncomfortable symptoms in a patient. The neurotoxin that causes the food poisoning can lead to severe symptoms including trouble seeing, cramps, muscle weakness, and trouble breathing. Botulism food poisoning is pretty rare in the United States due to high standards in products. It is more prevalent in regions of the world where there is less efficient care of foods, especially those that are processed. Botulism food posioning can be many times found in canned foods as a result of how they are stored and sealed.
The symptoms of food poisoning as a result of the botulism bacteria can last for a couple weeks. They are first witnessed within hours of eating the infected food. Hospitals treat the food poisoning with antitoxins and hospitalizatin. If untreated, the infection can be very serious and threaten the life of the patient. If you suspect you have botulism food poisoning, call 9-1-1 immediately.