--- title: "What to do if you think You've contracted botulism" date: 2023-11-04T04:08:00-07:00 author: Julie Dueck canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/what-to-do-if-you-think-youve-contracted-botulism" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Case News](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news) / # What to do if you think You've contracted botulism Although botulism can be diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, distinguishing it from other diseases is often difficult, especially in the absence of other known persons affected by the condition. Common misdiagnoses include Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenia gravis, which also manifest flaccid paralysis. Sometimes misdiagnosis may be due to not performing a thorough neurological examination in the emergency room — an examination that should uncover the cranial nerve palsies of botulism. In some cases, the neurological exam may be deferred because of rapidly progressing or advanced respiratory symptoms — in those cases, the need for respiratory support becomes the focus of clinicians. Once suspected, the most direct and effective way to confirm the diagnosis of botulism in the laboratory is testing for the presence of the botulinum toxin in the serum, stool, or gastric secretions of the patient. The food consumed by the patient can also be tested for the presence of toxins. While an explosive growth in the therapeutic and cosmetic use of botulinum toxins has taken place over the past two decades, diagnosis and treatment of botulism retain elements of the 1930s. Although the CDC and state laboratories have now developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to supplement the diagnosis of botulism, the only currently validated laboratory diagnostic test is the time-consuming mouse bioassay. The mouse bioassay involves injecting serum into mice and looking for signs of botulism. 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The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ Get a free consultation ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [What is Botulism?](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism/what-is-botulism) Botulism is a life-threatening paralytic illness caused by neurotoxins produced by an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium—Clostridium botulinum. Botulism is a rare disease and only affects a few hundred persons each... ###### [Epidemiology and Microbiology of Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism/epidemiology-and-microbiology-of-botulism) C. botulinum bacteria and spores are widely distributed in nature because they are indigenous to soils and waters. They occur in both cultivated and forest soils, bottom sediment of streams... ###### [Symptoms of Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism/symptoms-of-botulism) After their ingestion, botulinum neurotoxins are absorbed primarily in the duodenum and jejunum, pass into the bloodstream, and travel to synapses in the nervous system. There, the neurotoxins cause flaccid... ###### [Detection and Treatment of Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism/detection-and-treatment-of-botulism) Although botulism can be diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, distinguishing it from other diseases is often difficult, especially in the absence of other known persons affected by the condition. Common... ###### [Botulism Outcomes and Long-Term and Permanent Injury](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism/botulism-outcomes-and-long-term-and-permanent-injury) In the past 50 years, mortality from botulism has fallen dramatically (from about 50% to 8%) because of advances in supportive care, which is the mainstay of treatment. The respiratory... ##### Outbreak Database #### Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ View Outbreak Database ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)