On June 30, a 47- year- old man was hospitalized with dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and nausea. Examination revealed facial paralysis. The patient had partially healed superficial knee wounds incurred while laying cement. Cultures taken from the knee wounds should be incubated

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The symptoms and the context suggest a case of botulism, which is caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium is anaerobic, meaning it grows in the absence of oxygen, hence cultures should be incubated anaerobically.

On June 30, a 47- Year- Old Man Was Hospitalized