How can honey become contaminated with C. botulinum?
It is not known how honey becomes contaminated with C. botulinum. Spores of C. botulinum, which are commonly found in the environment, may be picked up by bees and brought to the hive. Other microorganisms found in the environment around honey (ie. bees, hives, pollen, soil, flowers, etc.) are also likely to occur in honey. How common is infant botulism? Infant botulism is rare in Canada. Only sixteen cases of infant botulism have been recorded in Canada since the first case in 1979. Three of these were associated with feeding honey to the infant. More cases of infant botulism may go unreported due to misdiagnosis. In the United States, approximately 70 to 90 cases of infant botulism are reported every year. How is infant botulism treated? If your baby develops this disease, he/she may need to be cared for in a hospital for days or weeks. Close attention is paid to proper nutrition and pulmonary aid. Approximately one in four infants affected requires mechanical ventilation. Neither an
