Dr. Dr. Le Quoc Hung, Head of Tropical Diseases Department, Cho Ray Hospital said, from May 13.5 in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, there were 2 clusters of botulinum poisoning cases belonging to 3 families.
The 4 person shift has been stabilized
In which, the first cluster of cases, there are 4 people in a family including 3 children and an adult who were poisoned by eating bread and rolls from a street vendor on May 13.5. In particular, adults ate in small amounts, so they only had some symptoms of poisoning such as digestive disorders, did not progress to weakness and paralysis, and have now fully recovered. 3 children were treated at Children's Hospital 2. 3 children were all given antitoxin, botulinum detoxification. Currently, 1 baby has fully recovered, 2 babies are on mechanical ventilation.
A doctor examines a patient on a ventilator at Cho Ray Hospital
“Because one child ate too much, the toxicity level was more severe, even though he was given BAT, he still switched to mechanical ventilation. Fortunately, thanks to the antidote, the clinical progress was mild, all 1 children recovered, of which 3 were on mechanical ventilation with improvements in muscle strength, hoping to recover and wean off the ventilator in the coming days. Dr. Hung shared.
Second shift, 3 people completely paralyzed
On May 13.5, 2 patients, who are siblings, ate banh mi. Then, on May 14.5, there were digestive disorders, fatigue, headache, and dizziness. On May 15.5, these two people had more severe symptoms, double vision, muscle pain, and were hospitalized at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, then transferred to Cho Ray Hospital (HCMC).
The third patient is a 3-year-old male, transferred to Gia Dinh People's Hospital. This person said that he had eaten a type of fish sauce for a long time. Test results from Gia Dinh People's Hospital showed that the patient had botulinum poisoning from food.
Currently, 3 patients are on mechanical ventilation, their muscle strength is only 0,5 - 1,5, which means they are completely paralyzed.
According to the doctor, in case there is an antidote to BAT, when the patient is weak, this is an effective time for the drug to work. The drug will have an antitoxin effect, neutralize the poison, and stop the progression of the disease.
Currently, in the situation of scarcity of BAT antidote, 3 patients are receiving supportive treatment including mechanical ventilation and nourishment. The duration of mechanical ventilation can average from 3-6 months.
Dr. Hung said, botulinum poisoning is not uncommon, even in developed countries. In the United States, for example, where food safety issues are very important, there are still between 150 and 300 cases of botulinum poisoning each year. In Vietnam before, we had little ability to diagnose, until recent years, testing for botulinum poisoning has helped detect many cases.
Prevention of botulinum poisoning
In order to prevent botulinum poisoning, the Food Safety Authority (Ministry of Health) recommends that in production and processing, it is necessary to use ingredients that ensure food safety and strictly comply with the requirements of regulations on hygiene in food. production process. In the production of canned goods, the sterilization regime must be strictly adhered to.
Only use food products, food ingredients with clear origin
Only use food products, food ingredients of clear origin, absolutely do not use canned products that have expired, bulged, flattened, deformed, rusted, not intact or with unusual taste or color changes. Perform cooked food, drink boiling. Prioritize eating freshly prepared, freshly cooked foods.
Foods should not be self-sealed and should not be stored for extended periods in non-freezing conditions. With fermented foods, packed or covered in the traditional way (such as pickles, bamboo shoots, pickled tomatoes…), it is necessary to ensure that they are sour and salty. When the food is not sour, it should not be eaten.
When symptoms of botulinum poisoning appear, it is necessary to immediately go to the nearest medical facility for timely diagnosis and treatment.
