Toxins (Dec 2021)

Infant Botulism: Checklist for Timely Clinical Diagnosis and New Possible Risk Factors Originated from a Case Report and Literature Review

  • Robertino Dilena,
  • Mattia Pozzato,
  • Lucia Baselli,
  • Giovanna Chidini,
  • Sergio Barbieri,
  • Concetta Scalfaro,
  • Guido Finazzi,
  • Davide Lonati,
  • Carlo Alessandro Locatelli,
  • Alberto Cappellari,
  • Fabrizio Anniballi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13120860
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 12
p. 860

Abstract

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Infant botulism is a rare and underdiagnosed disease caused by BoNT-producing clostridia that can temporarily colonize the intestinal lumen of infants less than one year of age. The diagnosis may be challenging because of its rareness, especially in patients showing atypical presentations or concomitant coinfections. In this paper, we report the first infant botulism case associated with Cytomegalovirus coinfection and transient hypogammaglobulinemia and discuss the meaning of these associations in terms of risk factors. Intending to help physicians perform the diagnosis, we also propose a practical clinical and diagnostic criteria checklist based on the revision of the literature.

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