Botulism risk factors

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Michael Maddaleni, B.S.

Overview

Infants are especially vulnerable to botulism. Utilizing canned foods also increases the risk for contracting botulism.

Risk Factors

Infants are especially vulnerable to botulism. If you utilize home canning methods you, too, may be at an increased risk for contracting botulism.

Foods such as:

• Fish
• Vegetables
  • Beets
  • Corn
  • Spinach
  • String beans
  • Chili peppers
  • Asparagus

These foods, especially the vegetables in a can, cause a risk because they are at the same pH that the clostridium botulinum needs to survive. Also, the bacteria needs an anaerobic environment to survive, and this is what occurs in a canned product.

Acquiring botulism from inhalation is much rarer. Currently, the only people really at risk are certain factory workers as well as certain laboratory workers.