What Is Botulism?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
4. Infant Botulism
Infant botulism tends to be found in babies that are between the ages of 2 and 8 months. It is the most common type of botulism, and it also takes place by way of ingestion. It differs from food botulism, however, because it is the bacteria that are often ingested rather than the toxin. Babies can still suffer from swallowing the toxin, however.
It is thought that consuming infected soil is the most likely source. Eating honey that has been contaminated with the toxin is also thought to be a relatively common source. Once consumed, the bacteria can begin to multiply and, the more numerous they become, the more toxins they begin to produce.
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