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How Not to Miss Botulism? Clinical Case, Error Analysis, And Recommendations for Practitioners

https://doi.org/10.20514/2226-6704-2025-15-6-452-460

EDN: FBHHZS

Abstract

Botulism is still an urgent medical problem, leading to fatal outcomes. The article presents a typical clinical case of severe botulinum toxin poisoning, characterized by the maximum severity of all symptoms of the disease with signs of decompensated acute respiratory failure, dysphagia, ophthalmoplegic and bulbar syndromes. The difficulties and errors of clinical diagnosis that have arisen due to the similarity of botulism with other pathologies are analyzed.

About the Authors

M. O. Berezin
Northern State Medical University
Russian Federation

Matvej O. Berezin — postgraduate student of the Department of Infectious Diseases

Arkhangelsk 


Competing Interests:

The authors declare no conflict of interests 



O. V. Samodova
Northern State Medical University
Russian Federation

Olga V. Samodova — Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases

Arkhangelsk 


Competing Interests:

The authors declare no conflict of interests 



G. B. Shekhurin
Northern State Medical University
Russian Federation

Gleb B. Shekhurin — postgraduate student of the Department of Infectious Diseases

Arkhangelsk 


Competing Interests:

The authors declare no conflict of interests 



K. V. Butorina
Arkhangelsk Regional Clinical Hospital
Russian Federation

Kristina V. Butorina — infectious disease doctor, Head of the Emergency Department of the Infectious Disease Center

Arkhangelsk 


Competing Interests:

The authors declare no conflict of interests 



A. V. Bogdanova
Arkhangelsk Regional Clinical Hospital
Russian Federation

Aleksandra V. Bogdanova — Cand. Sci. (Med.), Deputy Chief Physician for Clinical and Expert Work

Arkhangelsk 


Competing Interests:

The authors declare no conflict of interests 



I. V. Shchepina
Arkhangelsk Regional Clinical Hospital
Russian Federation

Irina V. Shchepina — Cand. Sci. (Med.), Head of the Infectious Disease Center

Arkhangelsk 


Competing Interests:

The authors declare no conflict of interests 



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Review

For citations:


Berezin M.O., Samodova O.V., Shekhurin G.B., Butorina K.V., Bogdanova A.V., Shchepina I.V. How Not to Miss Botulism? Clinical Case, Error Analysis, And Recommendations for Practitioners. The Russian Archives of Internal Medicine. 2025;15(6):452-460. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.20514/2226-6704-2025-15-6-452-460. EDN: FBHHZS

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ISSN 2226-6704 (Print)
ISSN 2411-6564 (Online)