Last week, five people in Sacramento, California, were hospitalized with botulism, a rare and potentially fatal type of food poisoning. The patients were all in serious condition.
Because only a few cases of the disease are usually reported each year in Sacramento County, five people contracting disease within two weeks caused a great amount of concern.
The number of people hospitalized with the disease has grown to nine people, possibly including a 16-year-old. After showing symptoms of botulism, a tenth victim is currently being tested for it.
“Botulism is a very serious disease,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, a public health officer. It not only can lead to muscle paralysis but also respiratory failure, causing death.
“The thing that we are concerned about is if it impacts the muscles that control your breathing…someone can go into respiratory arrest,” continued Kasirye. “So it’s really important for someone to seek care immediately.”
The rare disease may also cause blurry vision, slurred speech, muscle weakness, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing or speaking, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.
According to the Center for Disease Control, botulism is caused by a nerve toxin produced by bacteria. Symptoms of the disease develop between 12-36 hours after eating contaminated food, depending on the amount of toxin ingested.
Because the toxin is odorless and colorless, consumers cannot tell if a product is infected with botulism without testing it. Nonetheless, the disease is not contagious.
Sacramento County Public Health officials initially were not sure what caused the outbreak. They believed a possible cause was prepared foods, such as pre-packaged sandwiches and dairy products, from Valley Oak Food and Fuel, a mom-and-pop gas station in Walnut Grove.
Officials allowed the gas station to stay open for business after the outbreak. However, inside the gas station, they roped off the food section to keep customers from buying possibly infected items.
After inspecting Valley Oak’s food products, California health inspectors recently discovered that the gas station’s nacho cheese sauce tested positive for botulism. Canned cheese sauce is a known source of the disease, according to the CDC. Carrot juice, baked potatoes in foil, and home-canned foods are also associated with botulism.
While this was only a preliminary test, officials now are looking into what caused the cheese to be infected. They must determine if the gas station did not prepare its food items correctly or if the food manufacturers or distributors are at fault.
As this investigation continues, the nine botulism victims remain in the hospital. “If there are any muscles that have been paralyzed from the toxin, it’s not reversed by the anti-toxin,” stated Kasirye. “That’s a process that could take time and that’s why the recovery is very slow.”
Unfortunately, anti-toxin treatments are not always effective. There is no guarantee the patients will fully recover.
With Valley Oak being on a busy road, health officials worry that more cases of botulism will be reported. In addition to locals, many people who come to the area for fishing or who are simply traveling through California frequently pass by the gas station. The number of people who have consumed the nacho cheese, as well as any other infected products, is very difficult to determine.
Local residents are concerned about the outbreak as well. According to one local woman, “It’s tough on a small town. We know some of the youth who were affected by it, so our hearts are heavy.”
The family of one of the patients has filed a lawsuit against the gas station, claiming neglect.
Nonetheless, most of the town’s residents are not blaming the gas station’s owners. Before pointing any fingers, they are waiting for the state’s complete report, hoping that the investigation will finish soon.
