A patient with botulinum toxin poisoning had progressive muscle paralysis.

Ho Chi Minh City: One of the two patients with botulinum poisoning treated at Cho Ray Hospital suffered from progressive muscle paralysis, with muscle strength remaining at 2/5.

The information was announced by Dr. CK2 Do Thi Ngoc Khanh, Deputy Head of the Tropical Diseases Department, Cho Ray Hospital, on the afternoon of May 26. This person, a 26-year-old male, had muscle strength of 3-4/5 when admitted to the hospital, meaning he could move a little and breathe on his own. A few days after admission, the patient had to be put on a ventilator. Up to now, after 14 days of treatment, muscle strength has continued to decrease, to 2-3/5, the doctor determined that the muscle paralysis condition is getting worse and worse.

This patient's 18-year-old brother was also poisoned by botulinum. He had to be put on a ventilator from the beginning, his muscles were paralyzed, and his muscle strength was only 1/5, meaning he was almost completely paralyzed. Currently, this patient has not shown any improvement or recovery.

When poisoned, the two brothers were not given the antidote because the whole country ran out of medicine, and doctors could only provide supportive treatment. On May 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) transferred 6 vials of antidote (BAT) from Switzerland to Vietnam to treat the patients, but it was too late. The two brothers had passed the "golden" time to use the antidote.

"We are trying to use active treatments to prevent complications and stop the disease from progressing to a worse state for the patients," said Dr. Khanh, adding that at present it is impossible to predict the possible developments for these two patients.

Doctors from Cho Ray and Nhi Dong 2 hospitals exchanged expertise in treating patients with botulinum poisoning. Photo: Provided by the hospital — Doctors from Cho Ray and Nhi Dong 2 hospitals exchanged expertise in treating patients with botulinum poisoning. Photo: *Provided by the hospital*

From May 13th to now, 5 people in Thu Duc City have been poisoned by botulinum due to eating street-sold pork sausages and one person is suspected of having eaten fish sauce. Among them, three children aged 10-14 years old were given antidotes and treated at Children's Hospital 2. Their condition is improving, and one child has been discharged. The remaining three cases have run out of antidotes, including the two brothers above, and one patient (who ate fish sauce) died before receiving the antidote sponsored by WHO.

On the evening of May 25, two samples of pork sausage taken from the patient’s home and the production facility in Thu Duc City tested negative for botulinum toxin. A representative of the Thu Duc City Health Department said they are considering fining the production facility for operating for nearly two months without a license or sign.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the poisoning.

Botulinum is a very strong neurotoxin, produced by anaerobic bacteria - bacteria that prefer closed environments such as canned foods, or food environments that do not meet the standards to inhibit bacterial growth.

Symptoms of poisoning include abdominal pain, muscle pain, fatigue, blurred or double vision, dry mouth, difficulty speaking, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, and general muscle weakness. Finally, the patient has difficulty breathing or cannot breathe due to paralysis of the respiratory muscles. These signs appear slowly or quickly depending on the amount of botulinum ingested.

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