The spores of Clostridium botulinum are common in soil, and can also be found in a variety of foods and in dust. An infant must eat the bacterial spores that then multiply and produce the toxin in the digestive tract. The incubation period for infant botulism is unknown. Hospital care is necessary. Neither antibiotics nor antitoxin have proven beneficial in treating infant botulism and may even make the illness worse.
Most infants recover following supportive care in a hospital.
Infant botulism may result in death. Identified sources of infant botulism, such as honey, should not be fed to infants.