Type A Botulism in Members of a Family Following the Consumption of Locally Made Cheese

Botulism is a serious disease caused by botulinum toxin produced by the Clostridium botulinum، an anaerobic، gram positive، spore forming bacillus which exists in environment. In this article، we describe the foodborne botulism due to consumption of locally made cheese in two members of a family. Patients attended a clinical center with myasthenia، ptosis and dysphagia. The preliminary diagnosis was myasthenia gravis. However، no improvement was seen in patients after drug therapy. Then، locally made cheese consumed by them was sent to the Microbiology department of Pasteur institute of Iran. In order to diagnose botulinum toxin، mouse injection was done intraperitoneally with prepared samples، alone or mixed with antitoxins A، B، and E. Type A toxin was detected in locally made cheese after specific laboratory testing. The patients received antitoxin and all the symptoms resolved.