Botulism is a serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The disease may occur after eating foods containing the toxin or due to development of the spores within the intestine of young children or within wounds.
Cryptosporidia are intestinal parasites infecting a variety of animals (e.g. cattle, sheep, rodents, cats and dogs, but also birds, fish and reptiles). Human infections occur due to Cryptosporidium parvum, a species that also affects domestic animals.
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious acute respiratory infection, caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The disease is characterised by a severe cough, which can last two months or even longer.