First Known Alaskan Case of Botulism in Home-Canned Food Happened in 2019 - P.O.W. Report

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

First Known Alaskan Case of Botulism in Home-Canned Food Happened in 2019


On August 20, 2019, the Alaska Section of Epidemiology (SOE) was notified by an Anchorage hospital clinician of an adult white male with possible botulism. Foodborne botulism is a life-threatening neuroparalytic illness caused by consumption of botulinum toxin produced by the anaerobic bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Symptoms typically begin 18–36 hours after exposure, and are characterized by symmetric, descending flaccid paralysis of motor and autonomic nerves, beginning with the cranial nerves.

Treatment involves supportive care and administration of botulinum antitoxin, which arrests the progression of paralysis by preventing circulating toxin from binding to receptors at the neuromuscular junction. [...]

This is the first known case of foodborne botulism in Alaska associated with home-canned food. Historically, all previously identified cases of foodborne botulism in Alaska have been linked to consumption of traditionally prepared Alaska Native foods. Elsewhere in the United States, foodborne botulism is primarily linked to consumption of home-canned foods.

This botulism case was caused by type E botulinum toxin, which has been associated with a lower case-fatality rate than type A toxin in Alaska.

Type E botulism spores can withstand colder temperatures than other types of spores, and associated foodborne botulism cases typically involve consumption of fish or marine mammals.

In contrast, most foodborne botulism cases in the Lower 48 are caused by toxin types A or B, and associated foodborne botulism cases typically involve consumption of contaminated vegetables (e.g., improperly canned vegetables).

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