Korean J Clin Microbiol.
2003 Sep;6(2):160-163.
The First Outbreak of Botulism in Korea
- Affiliations
-
- 1Research Center for Pathogen Control, Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Health, Seoul, Korea. gtchung@nih.go.kr
- 2Daegu Metropolitan City, Korea
Abstract
- Botulism is a rare neuroparalytic disease caused by neurotoxins of Clostridium species. A ten-year-old girl and her mother were admitted to a hospital with symptoms of progressive dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, constipation and difficulty in swallowing. These characteristic manifestations and clinical course prompted an examination of the possibility of botulism. Mouse bioassay performed with mother's stool demonstrated type A botulinum toxin and culture of the mother's stool was positive for Clostridium botulinum type A. This is the first case of botulism in Korea.
