infections
Infant Botulism
Treatment of Infant Botulism
Botulism immune globulin Treatment is started as soon as infant botulism is suspected, without waiting for test results. Infants are hospitalized, and doctors take measures to stabilize them (prevent their condition from worsening), such as using a Mechanical Ventilation to assist with breathing. Infant botulism is treated with botulism immune globulin, which is given slowly by vein. This immune globulin is obtained from human donors who have high levels of antibodies to the botulinum toxin. ( Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to help defend the body against a particular attacker, such as botulinum toxin.) Antibiotics are not helpful because the main problem is the toxin that has already been produced by the bacteria. 