Human botulism is poisoning caused by extremely powerful toxins preformed in foods and produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. You cannot catch this condition from person to person contact. One form of the bacterium is commonly found in soils, aquatic sediments and fish. The spores are heat-resistant. Under some conditions, botulinum spores can germinate and the bacterium grow and produce the toxin. Ingestion of the toxin present in improperly prepared food is dangerous and may be fatal. Botulism is mainly a form of food poisoning but it can also be transmitted through wound infections or intestinal infection in infants.
Attribution: Avallain