Wound botulism in pediatrics.

A 6-year-old boy with congenital deafness sustained compound fractures to his left ulna and radius. Six days after the injury, he appeared lethargic, and his illness progressed to respiratory failure within three days. Although the wound at the fracture site appeared benign, cultures obtained when the wound was opened grew Clostridium botulinum, type B. Both the patient's deafness and the appearance of his wound contributed to the delay in diagnosis of wound botulism. Differential diagnosis and treatment of this rare entity are discussed.