8. SUSCEPTIBILITY AND RESISTANCE

Susceptibility is general. Almost all patients hospitalized with intestinal botulism have been between 2 weeks and 1 year of age; 94% were less than 6 months, and the median age at onset was 13 weeks. Cases of intestinal botulism have occurred in all major racial and ethnic groups. Adults with special bowel problems leading to unusual GI flora (or with a flora unintentionally altered by antibiotic treatment for other purposes) may be susceptible to intestinal botulism.