Update: Foodborne Botulism toxin Type A associated with bottled carrot juice – Florida and Georgia, 2006

Two events of foodborne botulism have been caused by the same commercial brand of carrot juice. Three residents of Georgia consumed commercially produced carrot juice from the same bottle. All sought medical care on September 8, 2006, and all three were intubated. Clinical specimens from all three case-patients yielded botulinum toxin type A. High levels of botulinum toxin type A were identified in remnant carrot juice in the bottle from which they drank.

On Monday, September 16, 2006, clinical samples yielded high concentrations of botulinum toxin type A in a patient hospitalized in Tampa, Florida. Officials of Hillsborough County Health Department and state authorities retrieved the bottle that contained carrot juice consumed by the patient before illness onset. On Friday, September 29, 2006, the National Botulism Reference Laboratory at CDC reported high levels of botulinum toxin in the remnant carrot juice.

The label on the bottle consumed by the Georgia patients stated: Bolthouse Farms 100% carrot juice 1 liter bottle Use by date: 09/18/06 Keep chilled 451700. Health authorities in Florida are investigating the purchase history of the contaminated juice. The Food and Drug Administration is investigating the manufacturer.

Any suspected botulism case should be questioned about exposure to carrot juice. Any suspected botulism case reported by a clinician to a state health department should be reported immediately by the state to CDC via the 24/7 CDC Botulism Clinical Consultation and Antitoxin Release Service, by calling the CDC Emergency Operations Center at (770) 488-7100 and asking for the botulism officer on-call.

For more information on botulism visit this CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/botulism_g.htm

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