Final answer:
Botulism was suspected in the described cases based on the exhibited symptoms, and the cases were linked through a common exposure. Botulism was confirmed through laboratory testing and the presence of the botulinum toxin in the patients' blood samples.
Step-by-step explanation:
Botulism was suspected in both described cases due to the symptoms exhibited by the patients, which included blurred vision, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, abdominal cramping, nausea, paralysis, dry mouth, weakness of facial muscles, and difficulty speaking and breathing. These symptoms are consistent with the effects of botulinum toxin, which is produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
The cases were linked to each other through a common exposure - all of the patients had attended the same church potluck the day before they became ill. Further investigation identified a potato salad made with home-canned potatoes as the source of the outbreak.
Botulism was confirmed through laboratory testing. Antitoxin was administered to the affected patients to treat the illness, and the CDC shipped antitoxin overnight to other medical facilities. The diagnosis of botulism was confirmed based on the presence of the botulinum toxin in the patients' blood samples.