PRECAUTIONS
The disease is not contagious so there is no need to isolate patients. In cold, stagnant water, botulinal toxin A is stable for a week. In food, botulinal toxin A is stable for a long time, when out of contact with air. All food and water should be heat sterilized in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Gas mask and protective clothing is required if exposure is anticipated.
A vaccine for the disease is available but to obtain complete protection from the toxins, the amount needed would cause death so it is not usually recommended, except to certain military personnel. If administered within 48 hours from exposure, an antitoxin (horse serum product) can only stop the progress of the disease. Oxygen should also be provided for assisted breathing. Formaldehyde kills botulinum spores. Boiling in water for at least 10 minutes will kill the poison, not the spores. To kill the spores, it takes more than 6 hours of boiling in water.
The spores cannot grow in honey or canning sugar, but can be dormant in raw honey. The spores, when ingested, can multiply in the digestive system, leading to illness and sometimes, even death. A specific anti-toxin can precipitate the toxin. To protect one from being exposed, a protective shelter can be devised using a closed room that is insulated with a non-permeable material and ventilated with filtered air.