How does botulism enter the body?

Botulism can enter the body in a few different ways:

- Eating contaminated food: Botulism is most commonly caused by eating food that contains botulinum toxin. This toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can grow in improperly canned or preserved foods, such as home-canned vegetables, fruits, and meats.

- Wound infection: Botulism can also occur as a result of a wound infection. When C. botulinum spores enter a wound, they can grow and produce botulinum toxin. This can lead to a serious infection called wound botulism.

- Infant botulism: Infant botulism is a rare form of botulism that affects infants under the age of one year. It occurs when C. botulinum spores enter the infant's digestive tract and produce botulinum toxin. Infant botulism can be caused by eating dust or soil that contains C. botulinum spores, or by eating honey or other foods that may contain these spores.