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marmosetohmarmoset t1_j69bn9x wrote

Reply to comment by WardStradlater in Why can an adult’s GI tract expel C. botulinum spores while an infant can’t? by curiousnboredd

So would an adult who has been on an extremely heavy course of antibiotics also be more susceptible to botulism? Similar to how they’re more vulnerable to things like C. diff?

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WardStradlater t1_j69dng1 wrote

They would be more likely to experience botulism from colonized food that had a lower amount of bacteria that was already colonized yes, but from just the minute amount of spores found in SOME types of honey? Probably not. It may be possible but certainly not common. Antibiotics don’t completely remove the bacterial flora from your intestines, nor do they really change the other natural defenses the body builds up in the GI Tract other than just the flora. Sure, antibiotics kill a large number of your healthy intestinal bacteria which makes it easier for opportunistic bacteria like C. diff to take over, but they don’t completely wipe everything out. I have not heard of a case of an adult being confirmed to have been colonized by botulism from spores found in honey to the point where it actually colonized internally and began secreting the toxin. But if your flora is messed up you are certainly more susceptible to any bacterial colonization that Is consumed.

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Gerryislandgirl t1_j6db47r wrote

I just want to point out that an infant given antibiotics is at greater risk.

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