Yasamin Sharifan¹, Mohammad Moshiri², Reza Golmohammadi³, Leila Etemad⁴ and Zahra Ataee⁵

¹Medical Student, Students' Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
²MD/PhD, Assistant Professor, Medical Toxicology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
³MD, Students' Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
⁴PharmD/PhD, Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
⁵MD, Specialist of Internal Medicine, Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

*Corresponding Author: Zahra Ataee, MD, Specialist of Internal Medicine, Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Received: June 24, 2024; Published: September 06, 2024

Abstract

Background: Botulism is a rare severe neuroparalytic disease that is imposing great danger to the health system.

Materials and Methods: The data of all botulism cases admitted in toxicology wards of Imam-Reza Hospital of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (March 2016 to March 2019) were extracted. In August 2020, the type and duration of remaining symptoms of patients were evaluated by call.

Results: Thirteen hospitalized cases (males/ females = 14/16), with the mean age = 30.97 ± 11.56 years, were included. The most prevalent infection sources were local yogurt (10 cases, 34.5%) and strained yogurt (6 cases, 20.7%). The mean number of observed symptoms in patients was 4.26 ± 1.41 and diplopia (83.3%), ptosis (73.3%), blurred vision (70%), and dysphagia (46.7%) were the most common symptom. Ptosis and diplopia were more common in men. The mean of incubation period 2.46 ± 1.50 days with no relation to sex. Mydriasis (2.85 ± 0.89 days), lower extremity paralysis (2.50 ± 2.12 days) and speech disorder (4.75 ± 2.60 days) were the sooner recovered symptoms after hospitalization, however dyspnea (8.65 ± 6.65 days) and dysphagia (7.35 ± 2.89 days) were the last. Seven patients (23.3%) required tracheal intubation. The average of hospitalization length was 6.23 ± 3.84 days that was shorter in patients with mydriasis. 60% of cases had ptosis when they returned to home. Decreased daily function (83.3%), blurred vision (83.3%), weakness (80%) and speech disorders (76.7%) were the most common reported complain in follow-up. 30% of patients had at least one symptom to 12 months, and 7% up to 36 months after discharge.

Conclusion: Two year follow-up of the patients is suggested.

Keywords: Botulism; Blepharoptosis; Deglutition Disorders; Diplopia; Activities of Daily Living

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Citation

Citation: Zahra Ataee., et al. “Epidemiological and Clinical Evaluation of Botulism Cases Whom Referred to Imam Reza Hospital through May 2016 to May 2020 and their 3 Years Follow Up". Acta Scientific Pharmacology 5.1 (2025): 11-19.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Zahra Ataee., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.