Botulism in the Highlands: Understanding the High-Altitude Effect

Botulism is a foodborne, life-threatening neuroparalytic disease caused by Clostridium botulinum, an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacteria. Its incidence is unknown and underestimated due to missed diagnoses, especially in remote areas. It is divided into four main clinical types: Infant, adult-onset foodborne, iatrogenic, and wound botulism. The overall goal of the article is to focus on the geographic differences in incidence, including its propensity to high-altitude areas, and shed light on the theories behind this propensity.