Botulism surveillance in Italy: 1992-1996

Though a relatively rare disease, botulism can be a serious problem of publ ic health, particularly when connected with the consumption of industrial c anned food; moreover, in the last years the shortage of botulism antitoxin has caused some concern in the Public Health Authorities. This work present s the results of a five-year surveillance of botulism in Italy, with the di stribution of the cases by Regions (first level administrative units which, in Italy, have administrative and legislative competencies in the sanitary field) and by vehicle of transmission. All the relevant and confirmed botu lism outbreaks that occurred in the period under consideration are describe d.