Primary prevention
Careful food preparation helps prevent cases of foodborne botulism. Botulinum toxin is heat labile, and heating contaminated food at 185°F (85°C) for at least 5 minutes will inactivate it. Food containers that bulge may contain gas produced by Clostridium botulinum and should not be opened. Infants less than 12 months old should never be fed honey.[40]
Secondary prevention
In the event of an outbreak, foods suspected of being contaminated should be refrigerated until retrieval by public health personnel. Laboratory testing for botulism in the US is only available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several state and city public health laboratories. According to the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense, people with potential exposure in a foodborne botulism outbreak should be monitored closely for the development of signs and symptoms; antitoxin should be administered promptly at the first signs of illness.[47]
In the event of deliberate aerosolized release of botulinum toxin, some protection may be achieved by covering the mouth and nose with a scarf or handkerchief. Exposed skin and clothing should be washed with soap and water, while contaminated surfaces should be cleaned with 0.1% hypochlorite bleach solution. Environmental inactivation of toxin occurs within 2 days.[47]
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