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Abstract

In June 2025, 25 botulism cases were identified among recipients of botulinum neurotoxin-containing cosmetic injections in North East England. A case-control study indicated that cases were more likely to have attended two specific practitioners and received an unlicensed product (p < 0.001). Testing of seized product detected a potency (370 units/vial) that was higher than listed on its labelling (200 units/vial). Strengthened regulation of cosmetic procedures is necessary for mitigating public health risks, which are exacerbated by the availability of unlicensed products.

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/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.39.2500746
2025-10-02
2026-04-11
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.39.2500746
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A local outbreak of iatrogenic botulism associated with cosmetic injections of botulinum neurotoxin-containing products, England, 2025
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Joseph+Jasperse&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Jasperse Joseph</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kate+Wilson&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Wilson Kate</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Sana+Akbar&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Akbar Sana</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Iain+Hayden&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hayden Iain</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Qudsia+Naseem&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Naseem Qudsia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Alison+Worthington&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Worthington Alison</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Amii+Coglan&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Coglan Amii</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Matt+Hewson&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hewson Matt</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Alan+Young&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Young Alan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Min+Fang&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Fang Min</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Yvonne+Liu&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Liu Yvonne</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Joanne+Darke&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Darke Joanne</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Vanessa+Wong&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Wong Vanessa</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gauri+Godbole&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Godbole Gauri</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gareth+J+Hughes&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hughes Gareth J</a></span>. A local outbreak of iatrogenic botulism associated with cosmetic injections of botulinum neurotoxin-containing products, England, 2025. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2025;30(39):pii=2500746. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.39.2500746" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.39.2500746</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 24 Sept 2025;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 02 Oct 2025 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.39.2500746
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.39.2500746
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