A rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. There are three main kinds of botulism, one of which is foodborne botulism caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin. Foodborne botulism can be especially dangerous because many people can be poisoned by eating a contaminated food. All forms of botulism can be fatal and are considered medical emergencies. Good supportive care in a hospital is the mainstay of therapy for all forms of botulism.