Dr. Le Quoc Hung, Head of the Department of Tropical Diseases, Cho Ray Hospital, said that since May 13 in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, there have been 2 clusters of botulinum poisoning cases belonging to 3 families.
The 4-person case cluster has stabilized.
In the first cluster of cases, 4 people in a family including 3 children and 1 adult were poisoned after eating bread with pork roll from a street vendor on May 13. The adults ate a small amount so they only had some symptoms of poisoning such as digestive disorders, no progression to limb weakness, and have now fully recovered. The 3 children were treated at Children's Hospital 2. All 3 children were given antitoxins and botulinum detoxification drugs. Currently, 1 child has fully recovered, 2 children are on ventilators.
A doctor examines a patient on a ventilator at Cho Ray Hospital.
"Because one child ate too much, the level of poisoning was more severe. Even though he was given BAT, he still had to go on a ventilator. Fortunately, thanks to the antidote, the clinical progression was mild. All three children recovered. Of these, two children on ventilators had improved muscle strength. Hopefully, they will recover and be weaned off the ventilator in the coming days," Dr. Hung shared.
Second cluster of cases, 3 people completely paralyzed
On May 13, two patients, who are brothers, ate bread with pork sausage. Then on May 14, they showed signs of digestive disorders, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. On May 15, these two people had more severe symptoms, double vision, muscle pain, and were admitted to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, then transferred to Cho Ray Hospital (HCMC).
The third patient, a 45-year-old man, was transferred to Gia Dinh People's Hospital. He said he had eaten a type of fish sauce that had been stored for a long time. Test results from Gia Dinh People's Hospital showed that the patient had botulinum poisoning from food.
Currently, all 3 patients have to use ventilators, with muscle strength only 0.5 - 1.5, meaning complete paralysis.
According to the doctor, in the case of BAT antidote, when the patient is paralyzed, this is the effective time for the drug to take effect. The drug will have an antitoxin effect, neutralize the poison, and stop the disease from progressing.
Currently, due to the scarcity of BAT antidotes, 3 patients are receiving supportive treatment including mechanical ventilation and nutrition. The average duration of mechanical ventilation is 3-6 months.
Dr. Hung said that botulinum poisoning is not uncommon, even in developed countries. For example, in the US, where food safety issues are highly emphasized, people still record between 150 and 300 cases of botulinum poisoning each year. In Vietnam, in the past, we had little ability to diagnose, but in recent years, testing for botulinum poisoning has helped detect many cases.
Prevention of botulinum poisoning
To prevent botulinum poisoning, the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) recommends that in production and processing, ingredients that ensure food safety must be used and that hygiene requirements in the production process must be strictly followed. In the production of canned foods, strict sterilization must be followed.
Use only food products and food ingredients with clear origin.
Only use food products and food ingredients with clear origin and source. Absolutely do not use canned products that are expired, swollen, flattened, deformed, rusty, not intact or have unusual odors or colors. Eat cooked food and drink boiled water. Prioritize eating newly processed and cooked foods.
Do not pack foods tightly and leave them for long periods of time without freezing. For fermented foods, pack or cover them tightly in the traditional way (such as pickles, bamboo shoots, pickled eggplants, etc.) to ensure they are sour and salty. When the food is no longer sour, it should not be eaten.
When symptoms of botulinum poisoning appear, go immediately to the nearest medical facility for timely diagnosis and treatment.
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