botulism

bot·u·lism

noun \ˈbäch-ə-ˌliz-əm\

Definition of BOTULISM

: acute food poisoning caused by botulinum toxin produced in food by a bacterium of the genus Clostridium (C. botulinum) and characterized by muscle weakness and paralysis, disturbances of vision, swallowing, and speech, and a high mortality rate—see botulinum toxin, limberneck