Wound botulism happens when the bacteria that causes botulism gets into an open wound or cut. The clostridium botulinum bacteria produce toxins when it enters the body, which can make a patient very sick. Wound botulism is the only kind of botulism that can be treated with antibiotics. If you have a wound that has been infected with botulism, you will need to seek medical care right away, as this infection is life-threatening.
The symptoms of wound botulism are:
When C. botulinum gets into a wound, they multiply quickly. Using street drugs or having a traumatic injury can also cause wound botulism. Wounds that go unnoticed can also be at risk of being exposed to the bacteria spores that cause botulism. In rare cases, surgical procedures can allow access to C. botulinum as well.
You will be more at risk for getting wound botulism if you use street drugs that require injection or inhalation, if you work with your hands in a dirty environment, or if you do not take measures for wounds or cuts on your body to keep them clean. Ignoring an infected wound can also lead to wound botulism, be sure to seek medical care right away if you believe that you have a wound on your body that has become infected.
Doctors diagnose botulism by taking a full medical history of the patient. They will also look for drooping eyelids, signs of muscle weakness or lack of coordination, and indications that a wound has become infected. If you have any wounds on your body at all, your doctor will want to examine them.
Blood, stool, or vomit samples can also confirm a diagnosis of botulism. This might be done in cases where it is not clear that botulism is the reason for a patient’s symptoms. Since wound botulism is life-threatening, doctors typically diagnose based on a physical examination and proceed to treatment without waiting a few days for test results to come back.
Antitoxin for botulism can be used to lower the risk of complications related to wound botulism. You will also be given antibiotics. While the damage that has been done by the presence of botulism in the body cannot be undone in some cases, the progression of the toxicity related to the bacteria can be slowed down significantly by antitoxin. This makes it much more likely that the antibiotics will eradicate the infection quickly.
For those who are having trouble breathing, ventilator support might be necessary. Patients who have suffered paralysis due to wound botulism will likely need to see a physical therapist to regain muscle coordination and lost function related to the infection. The severity of your symptoms can dictate the supportive or long-term care that is necessary to help you recover from botulism.
Prevention of wound botulism requires keeping wounds clean. Be sure that you do not expose open wounds in the skin to contaminants of any kind. If you think that a wound has become infected, seek medical care immediately.