Botulism is a severe type of food poisoning. It occurs when a person eats food that contains a poison produced by the bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. Botulism can be a fatal disease. The poison produced by the bacteria can damage important nerves and muscles of the body. If botulism is not treated promptly, normal breathing functions can cease, resulting in death.
Most botulism occurs when a person eats improperly canned or preserved food.
Symptoms occur when the poison produced by these bacteria is eaten. The incubation period varies, but usually severe symptoms start within a few hours of eating the contaminated food. Wound botulism is rare. It occurs when bacteria grow in a wound and produce a poison. Fever is not a symptom of botulism.