Infant Botulism TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PROGRAM

About Infant Botulism

Infant botulism is a rare but serious illness caused when spores of Clostridium botulinum grow in a baby's intestine and produce toxin that weakens muscles.

Most cases occur in infants under one year old. With timely treatment, nearly all infants recover fully.

Laboratory and Diagnostic Testing

CDPH's Microbial Diseases Laboratory (MDL) performs testing for Clostridium botulinum toxin and spores in clinical and patient samples.

Testing supports outbreak investigations and confirmation of infant botulism cases.

For details on specimen collection, submission and shipping requirements, visit our Infant Botulism Laboratory and Diagnostic Information page.

Information for Health Care Providers

Report suspected cases immediately to your local health department.
If your patient is older than 15 months, please see Botulism Information for Health Professionals page for instructions on requesting antitoxin.
Call the IBTPP at (510) 231-7600 for consultation and BabyBIG® release.
Do not wait for lab confirmation before initiating consultation or treatment.

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