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.
Close attention is paid to proper nutrition and pulmonary aid.
Approximately one in four infants affected requires mechanical ventilation. Neither antibiotics nor antitoxin are usually administered. A complete recovery is made in nearly every case. Honey is the only food implicated in infant botulism. Since it is not essential for the nutrition of infants, parents and caregivers are reminded not to feed honey to infants less than one year of age.