Botulism and Commercial Chicken Pie with Cream Cheese in the City of Atibaia (SP) – February 2006

Abstract

 Foodborne botulism, a severe neuroparalytic disease, is caused by ingesting of food containing preformed  Clostridium botulinun neurotoxin. Although, cases of botulism have been usually associated with canned  vegetables, fruits or meat, generally homemade products, it is not improbable that the disease can be caused  by other kind of food. On February 02, 2006, the Epidemiologic Surveillance Group from Hospital das Clínicas,  from School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo, in the city of São Paulo, notified to the Center for  Epidemiologic Surveillance one suspected botulism case, resident in the city of Atibaia, SP. Type A toxin was  detected in a serum sample from the patient and in the suspected food. This report summarizes the findings of  the botulism investigation, which linked disease to the ingestion of commercial chicken pie with cream cheese.  Based on clinical features, therapeutic antitoxin was promptly administrated to the patient. Educational and  sanitary measures were developed to prevent new cases.