[Botulism: A case report and literature review]

Abstract

Introduction: Botulism is a rare syndrome resulting from the action of a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum, that it is potentially life threatening if diagnosis is delayed.

Case report: We report a 26-year-old woman who presented an acute onset of bilateral cranial neuropathies associated with an anticholinergic syndrome in the absence fever leading to consider and confirm the diagnosis of botulism. At the end of follow-up, 7 weeks later, the outcome was favorable with an almost complete neurologic recovery.

Conclusion: Although botulism is uncommon, better awareness of its manifestations and high clinical suspicion should shorten diagnostic delay that makes the use of specific antitoxin ineffective. An acute onset of a bilateral oculomotor palsy, a fixed pupillary dilation and descending weakness in the absence of fever is typical of botulism. Outcome is usually favorable with a slow but full neurological recovery.

Keywords: Anticholinergic toxidrome; Botulism; Botulisme; Clostridium botulinum; Neurotoxin; Neurotoxine; Oculomotor paralysis; Paralysie oculomotrice; Syndrome anticholinergique.