American Carrot Juice Paralyzes Two In Canada

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Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Neurology / Neuroscience;  Public Health
Article Date: 10 Oct 2006 - 10:00 PDT


A man and a woman in Toronto, Canada, have become paralyzed after drinking carrot juice imported from California, USA, say public health officials in Toronto. The patients were poisoned with the botulism toxin.

A medical officer says the two patients are seriously ill. Doctors hope they will eventually make a full recovery.

The tainted carrot juice comes from Bolthouse Farms, California.

What is botulism?

A serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin which is produced by Clostridium botulinum (a bacterium). It is a rare illness. There are three types of botulism:

-- Foodborne botulism - found in contaminated foods

-- Wound botulism - caused by a toxin produced from a wound that is infected with Clostridium botulinum

-- Infant botulism - the spores of the botulinum bacteria are consumed, they grow in the intestines and release the toxin

If left untreated the arms, legs, trunk and respiratory muscles can become paralyzed. Botulism can be fatal.

Symptoms include:

-- blurred vision
-- difficulty swallowing
-- double vision
-- drooping eyelids
-- dry mouth
-- muscle weakness
-- slurred speech

After eating contaminated food, symptoms usually appear within 18-36 hours. However, they can appear within 6 hours or after 10 days. 50 years ago about 50% of patients with botulism died, today the figure stands at about 8% (CDC).

Click here for more information on botulism

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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