Symptoms of botulism
Learn about the symptoms of botulism and what to do if you become ill.
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Symptoms of botulism
Symptoms of botulism can include:
- nausea
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- dry mouth
- constipation
- drooping eyelids
- difficulty swallowing
- blurred or double vision
- unreactive or fixed pupils
- difficulty speaking, including slurred speech
- partial facial paralysis or loss of facial expression
- a change in sound of the voice, including hoarseness
Symptoms of botulism in infants include:
- nausea
- drooling
- vomiting
- irritability
- a weak cry
- constipation
- poor feeding
- difficulty sucking
- loss of head control
- lethargy (tiredness)
- difficulty swallowing
- progressive muscle weakness from the head downwards
Symptoms of food-borne botulism typically appear 12 to 72 hours after eating food or drinking beverages that contain the botulinum toxin. However, symptoms may appear as early as 2 hours or take up to 8 days.
Symptoms of wound botulism take about 4 to 14 days to appear.
Symptoms of infant botulism may take up to 30 days to appear.
What to do if you become ill
Consult a health care provider if you or your child have the symptoms listed. If botulism is suspected, a health care provider can refer you for appropriate laboratory testing and treatment.