Emergency response to a cluster of suspected food-borne botulism in Abuja, Nigeria: challenges with diagnosis and treatment in a resource-poor setting

The Pan African Medical Journal

Chikwe Ihekweazu¹  Oyeladun Okunromade¹  Olubunmi Ojo¹  Lamin Maneh²  Okokon Ita Ita²  Jamilu Nikau²  Aminatu Makarfi Umar²  Patrick Nguku²  Augustine Olajide Dada²  Muhammad Shakir Balogun²  Mahmood Muazu Dalhat² 

[1] Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria;Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme,Abuja, Nigeria;

关键词: : case report;    botulism;    anti-toxin;    botulinum;    mouse assay;   

DOI  :  10.11604/pamj.2020.36.287.20872

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Food-borne botulism is a rare, acute and potentially fatal neurologic disorder that results from ingestion of food contaminated by botulinum toxin released from the anaerobic, spore-forming, gram-positive bacterium Clostridium botulinum. We reported an unusual cluster of botulism outbreak with high case fatality affecting a family following ingestion of home-made fish. A suspected outbreak of botulism affecting three patients in a family of six was reported to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. A rapid response team investigated by line-listing all the family members, interviewed extended family members, caregivers, clinicians, and nurses to collect socio-demographic and clinicoepidemiological information using a semi-structured questionnaires. We collected blood from patients and food samples and locally made drink from the family home for laboratory testing. All family members ingested the same home-made food within the 48hrs before onset of symptoms in the index case. The clinical presentation of the three affected cases (AR=50.0%) was consistent with botulinum poisoning. Two of the affected cases died (CFR=66.7%) within 48hrs of admission before antitoxin was made available. The third case had a milder presentation and survived, after administration of appropriate antitoxin. The remaining three children developed no symptoms. None of the samples cultured clostridium botulinum. The blood samples were negative for mouse lethality test. Our report describes the challenges of diagnosis and management of rare emerging infectious disease outbreaks in resource-constrained settings.

【 授权许可】

Unknown