Journal of Pediatric Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine (Aug 2021)

A Case of Botulism Fast Adjusting with Antitoxin Administration in the Early Period and the Use of Electromyography in Diagnosis

  • Edin Botan,
  • Serhan Özcan,
  • Merve Havan,
  • Emrah Gün,
  • Merve Feyza Yüksel,
  • Serdar Balsak,
  • Özge Güzelmansur,
  • Ömer Bektaş,
  • Tanıl Kendirli

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4274/cayd.galenos.2020.20981
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 2
pp. 114 – 116

Abstract

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Botulism is a rare but potentially life-threatening neuroparalytic syndrome caused by the action of a neurotoxin caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Early diagnosis and early treatment is important. In cases where botulism occurs sporadically, there is a need for easily applicable and rapid methods for diagnosis. The patient was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of dysarthria and sleepiness at the age of 7 years. During follow-up, bilateral ptosis, nystagmus, facial asymmetry, double vision and dysphagia developed. Electroneuromyography (ENMG) was performed in our case. It was evaluated as compatible with botulismus. Antitoxin treatment was performed. Six hours after the end of the antitoxin infusion, the ocular findings regressed, swallowing function improved, and dysarthric speech improved. Inconclusion, ENMG is found to be helpful in treatment decisions before toxin detection. Although toxin cannot be detected in patients, ENMG findings play an important role in the diagnosis of botulism.

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