The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a warning about botulism symptoms after a small number of suspected cases in the Leeds area were linked to cosmetic procedures involving botulinum toxin. According to the UKHSA, patients presented to NHS services this week with signs of botulism, a rare infection caused by toxins from Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Symptoms include severe drooping of the upper eyelids, double vision, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, and lethargy. The UKHSA advised local clinicians to be vigilant for botulism in individuals who have recently undergone aesthetic procedures and to provide appropriate treatment, including antitoxin. In a statement, the UKHSA said: "Working with local authority partners and NHS services, the UKHSA is advising people to make sure they take precautions when seeking aesthetic procedures." Dr. Martin Bewley, consultant in health protection at the UKHSA, urged those who have recently had cosmetic treatments and are experiencing symptoms to contact NHS 111 or visit A&E. "It is important to get checked out so you can have peace of mind and treatment if needed," he said. "It is also important to go to a licensed practitioner."
This follows a series of botulism poisoning cases in the UK. In summer 2025, the UKHSA recorded at least 38 cases linked to unlicensed botox-like products, including 28 in the north-east, with five victims presenting to A&E in Durham on one night in June. Those cases were tied to fake anti-wrinkle injections. In July 2025, four hospital admissions occurred in the Peterborough area, prompting a city council investigation into unlicensed or counterfeit Botox practitioners operating from private homes rather than salons.
Source: Read the original report | Published: May 18, 2026