Here are some abstracts on infant botulism. Note that although one article mentions
the problems seem to be reported from the USA, many of the cases are reported from
other countries, including Germany, Italy and the Norwegian countries. I'm sure I
could find more if I tried. Either the USA has different honey, or better diagnostics
-- probably a little of both, with emphasis on the latter. In other countries, cases
of "Infant Death Syndrome" may not always be autopsied for signs of botulism.
I have read of a few cases of botulism in dogs, but none associated with honey, though
it may be theoretically possible. Most of the identified cases of botulism in dogs
have been associated with poultry, such as eating a rotting duck carcass or drinking
from a contaminated pond where birds frequent. At the end of the list of abstracts is
one regarding paralytic botulism in foxhounds fed raw meat. This strain of botulism
was Type C, though, as opposed to the type B usually implicated in infant botulism.
Honey is known to have antibacterial properties *when applied topically* and is used
in some places to heal leg ulcers in humans.
Leanne
Ugeskr Laeger 2001 Jan 8;163(2):169 [Infantile botulism caused by honey][Article in
Danish]Jung A, Ottosson J.H:S Rigshospitalet, Juliane Marie Centret, borneafdelingen.
We report a case of a 5-week-old infant admitted with respiratory arrest. He had been
fed with honey for two weeks. Infant botulism was suspected and confirmed by the
finding of Clostridium botulinum toxin in the serum and faeces, and in the honey. The
infant needed 7.5 months of ventilatory support.
---------------
J Paediatr Child Health 2000 Dec;36(6):596-7 Links
McMaster P, Piper S, Schell D, Gillis J, Chong A.
Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Alexandra Hospital for
Children, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Infantile botulism classically presents with a triad of clinical features: Bulbar
palsies (slow/absent pupil response) Alert Absent fever Other common features are:
Constipation, ptosis and poor feeding The diagnosis is a clinical one, confirmed by
EMG and by testing stool for the organism, C. botulinum, or its toxin. Parents should
be advised not to dip pacifiers in honey.
---------------
[Botulism in newborn infants][Article in Norwegian]Tollofsrud PA, Kvittingen EA,
Granum PE, Vollo A.Nyfodtseksjonen, Barneklinikken, Rikshospitalet, Oslo.
Infant botulism, first described in 1976, is the most common form of botulism. The
majority of cases are reported from the USA. The disease is rare in Europe, and this
article describes the first patient reported in Norway. A three-month-old boy of
Norwegian origin who had been fed Argentinian honey developed symptoms of botulism.
Electromyography showed presynaptic neuromuscular dysfunction. The diagnosis was
confirmed by the demonstration of Clostridium botulinum type A neurotoxin in the
faeces. After supportive treatment, breast-milk feeding and lactobacillus
supplementation he made a complete recovery. If spores of C. botulinum are ingested,
they can bind to the epithelium, germinate and produce toxin which causes botulism.
Because of the composition of their intestinal flora, children below one year of age
are at risk. Ingestion of honey is a well known risk factor. Contamination of
Norwegian honey has never been reported but we recommend that honey should not be
given to children during their first year of life.
-----------
Neuropediatrics 1997 Oct. Infant botulism. The first culture-confirmed Danish
case.Balslev T, Ostergaard E, Madsen IK, Wandall DA.Department of Paediatrics, Aalborg
Hospital, Denmark.
Infant botulism is caused by intestinal colonization by Clostridium botulinum, C.
barati or C. butyricum. Infant botulism has only rarely been reported outside the USA.
A 3-month-old boy developed constipation, lethargy, feeding difficulties and
descending, severe, symmetric weakness. He was breastfed but had also been fed honey.
Supportive care led to complete recovery. The serum was positive for C. botulinum
toxin type A-F (mouse toxin neutralization assay). A strain of C. botulinum producing
toxin type A and E was identified in the stool. C. botulinum was identified in a jar
of honey of the same brand as the honey fed to the patient.
--------------
Eur J Epidemiology November 993 A case of infant botulism associated with honey
feeding in Italy.
Fenicia L, Ferrini AM, Aureli P, Pocecco M.
Laboratorio Alimenti, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy.
A case of infant botulism in a 9 week-old female is described. A strain of C.
botulinum type B was isolated from the feces of the baby. The epidemiologic study
detected in a sample of home canned honey Clostridium botulinum spores of the same
serotype that was isolated from the patient. The honey had been used only to sweeten
the pacifier of the baby. This is the first case of infant botulism in Europe linked
conclusively to honey.
---------
Honey poisoning in Turkey.
Lancet. 1991 Mar 30;337(8744):789-90
----------
Eur J Pediatrics 2001 Oct Is there a link between infant botulism and sudden infant
death? Bacteriological results obtained in central Germany.
Bohnel H, Behrens S, Loch P, Lube K, Gessler F.
Institute for Tropical Animal Health, Georg-August-University Gottingen, Germany.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Despite the fact that botulism was described in Germany for the first time by Kerner
in 1820, the disease is almost forgotten in this country. Only about 10-20 cases of
classical botulism (intoxication) are recorded every year, including 1-2 cases of
clinical infant botulism. As we assumed a high incidence of botulism to be connected
with cases of sudden infant death (SID), we undertook the research work presented
here.Conclusion: the results show a remarkable incidence of infant botulism without
any known previous medical history, partly hidden as sudden infant death.
---------
Vet Rec 1976 Suspected botulism in foxhounds. Darke PG, Roberts TA, Smart JL,
Bradshaw PR.
An outbreak of acute paralysis in a pack of foxhounds, which followed the ingestion of
raw and partially cooked meat, was almost certainly due to botulism. Botulinal toxin
was detected in the serum of one of three hounds which recovered, and Clostridium
botulinum type C was present in a sample of meat remaining from a batch fed to the
hounds.
----- Original Message -----
> >> I wonder if this is just your honey as there are no such warnings over
> here. My recommendation was for our Manuka Honey which has certified
> antibiotic properties.<<
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