Health officials in Colorado are warning Americans to properly refrigerate and heat their food after an exchange worker was paralyzed by a deadly bacteria.
Claudia de Albuquerque Celada, 23, is in the hospital on a ventilator after contracting botulism, a rare foodborne pathogen that attacks the body’s nerves.
Local health officials traced the Brazilian native’s infection to packaged soup she purchased “from a major retailer” while working in Aspen in February.
Tests of soup samples from the same grocery store came back negative, leading officials to believe the problem was the way Albuquerque Celada stored or cooked it.
Claudia de Albuquerque Celada, 23, originally from Brazil, was on a job exchange program in Colorado when she contracted botulism. The disease, which affects about 100 Americans each year, left her paralyzed.
He is believed to have contracted the disease through store-bought soup stored in a plastic jar, although the health department did not specify the brand or store.
It is believed that Albuquerque Celada did not keep the soup refrigerated at a cold enough temperature, did not reheat it completely, or left leftovers out for too long before refrigerating it again.
A spokesperson for the Pitkin County Health Department. He told DailyMail.com that it was a tragic accident and served as a reminder that people need to “re-evaluate their food handling practices.”
Officials urge people to keep soup and all perishables refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, make sure food is heated through, and avoid leaving food on the counter for more than an hour.
The bacteria that causes botulism are found in the soil and ocean floor, where they can remain on the surface of foods such as fruits, vegetables, and seafood.
These bacteria produce spores, which act as protective coatings, which are usually harmless.
However, tight, warm, humid spaces that lack oxygen, such as plastic jars and cans, can cause bacteria to release toxins that attack the central nervous system.
Certain heating, handling, and storage conditions can also create an environment for botulism bacteria spores to grow and become deadly.
The CDC estimates that there are only 25 cases of foodborne botulism each year in the United States, making it extremely rare.
Albuquerque Celada’s family has said in social media posts that she is still paralyzed and relies on a ventilator to breathe.
The Pitkin County Health Department said that because the food itself tested negative for botulinum bacteria, Ms. Albuquerque Celada likely became ill due to improper handling of the food, such as not refrigerating or heating it properly.
“Since an outbreak has been ruled out, we’re really focusing on the prevention aspect,” a Pitkin County Health representative told DailyMail.com.
“Because there was no common source of exposure affecting a larger sample of the population, or there were multiple associated cases, we really consider food handling to be likely the cause of the infection.”
Albuquerque became ill in February, about 15 days after eating the contaminated food.
Her sister, Luisa Albuquerque, wrote on Instagram that her sister left work early after she began experiencing dizziness, double vision and difficulty breathing.
Within 24 hours, his entire body was paralyzed.
The health department said that while it cannot “specifically confirm which products caused the infection,” a suspected soup product was purchased at a major retailer and stored in a plastic jar.
“It does not appear to have been a damaged can and does not appear to be the fault of the product itself,” the department said.
“It is almost impossible to say definitively at what point that collapse may have occurred.”
The agency said it sent samples of a brand-name soup from two grocery stores in Aspen where Ms. Albuquerque Celada was shopping, which are part of a national chain. They had bought the soup in a closed plastic container.
All food samples were negative for botulism.
“This does not necessarily mean that the food the case ate did not have it, it actually means that we simply cannot definitively confirm what the source of the infection was,” a spokesperson said.
The department said its “best guess” is that Ms. Albuquerque Celada became ill due to a combination of three types of abuse.
The first is inadequate refrigeration, and the agency stressed that store-bought items marked as refrigerated should be stored that way at home.
This is because temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) make it easier for bacterial spores to form.
Additionally, the health department recommended making sure any food that is heated, such as on the stove or in the microwave, is heated thoroughly, as heat can kill those spores.
“Sometimes in a microwave, food doesn’t always heat up completely, so be sure to follow all directions on your food so you can heat it to the proper temperature every time,” the representative said.
Finally, officials recommended making sure food is not left out for long periods of time so it can become cold again.
‘So don’t leave sealed items on the counter for a few hours. “We really want to make sure those foods reach the right temperature in the right time,” the health department said.
Low-acid foods are the most common sources of botulism cases linked to home canning, according to the CDC, including asparagus, green beans, beets, corn, and potatoes.
The family is raising funds to transport Ms. Albuquerque Celada back to her hometown of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
It’s unclear what Albuquerque Celada’s path to recovery will be, but his family estimates it will take at least six months to a year.
Symptoms of botulism include difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, blurred vision, difficulty speaking, difficulty breathing, and difficulty moving your eyes, according to the CDC.
Foodborne infections can also cause vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
The CDC estimates that fewer than five in 100 people with botulism die, although they may be left with lifelong complications such as shortness of breath and fatigue.
Albuquerque Celada’s family said she has been hospitalized for about 50 days and recovery is expected to last six months to a year.
The family has said on social media that she is stable enough to be transported back to her hometown of Sao Paulo, Brazil.