Botulism: Drug Therapy

Therapeutic target

Avoidance of complications

Therapy recommendations

  • Elimination of the toxin by antitoxin (trivalent antitoxin against types A, B, and E; after type determination, administration of a monovalent toxin if necessary).
  • For food poisoning antitoxin and symptomatic therapy.
  • For wound botulism, surgical wound care and an administration of penicillin
  • In infantile botulism, no antitoxin administration, but only symptomatic therapy.
  • Symptomatic therapy (if necessary, antiemetics / drugs against nausea and emesis).
  • Antibiosis (antibiotic therapy) for secondary infections.
  • See also under “Further therapy”.