Health officials investigating a bacterial outbreak at a party in California have traced the source to a contaminated salad.
Two sisters who attended a family reunion in Fresno County last weekend are in intensive care on ventilators after eating cactus that contained C. botulinum.
These toxins are introduced into foods that have not been properly preserved and, once in the body, they attack the nerves, causing paralysis of muscles and organs such as the lungs.
About 10 other people who attended the party were hospitalized with symptoms of botulism, including blurred vision and vertigo, but have since been released.
Through interviews, officials learned that they had all attended the same family gathering and eaten a homemade cactus salad.
The origin of an outbreak of bacterial infection has been traced to a contaminated cactus salad (broth)
Norma Sanchez, a communicable disease specialist with the Fresno County Department of Public Health, said they identified the contaminated cactus after checking trash cans.
Sanchez’s team later tracked down the woman who prepared the salad and discovered the nopales had been prepared and stored in jars at home in May.
The bacteria that causes botulism is found in soil and on the seabed, where it can linger on the surface of foods such as fruits, vegetables and shellfish.
These bacteria produce spores, which act as protective layers and are usually harmless.
However, warm, humid, oxygen-deprived spaces (such as plastic jars and cans) can cause bacteria to release toxins that attack the central nervous system.
Low-acid foods are the most common sources of home-canned botulism cases, according to the CDC, including asparagus, green beans, beets, corn and prickly pears.
Sanchez said the remaining jars containing the cacti They were found in ‘poor condition’ in a shed.
“The food had already been there for a couple of days; it was about forty-something degrees outside,” Sanchez told local media“I was simply amazed.”
The woman told health department workers she did not follow any specific safety guidelines and had learned how to can from family and friends.
One of the sisters who remains hospitalized had eaten the contaminated salad three days in a row. The second had eaten it twice.
The CDC estimates that there are only 25 cases of foodborne botulism each year in the U.S., making it extremely rare.
According to the CDC, about five percent of people who develop botulism die. For the rest, it can cause lifelong disability and extreme physical therapy.
The nopales or cacti (shown here) had been prepared at home in May and stored incorrectly.
Paralyzed patients need to relearn how to walk, talk, and perform everyday tasks.
The Fresno Health Department urges people to follow proper storage and cooking methods to reduce the risk of botulism.
Temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) facilitate the formation of bacterial spores.
Any food that presents a risk of contamination should be heated to a temperature between 240 and 250°F and thoroughly heated.
Symptoms of botulism include difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, blurred vision, difficulty speaking, difficulty breathing and difficulty moving the eyes, according to the CDC.
Foodborne infections can also cause vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
