EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
More than 30 babies in 15 states have been sickened in a growing outbreak of infant botulism linked to recalled ByHeart infant formula, federal health officials said Wednesday.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 31 cases of confirmed or suspected illness in babies who consumed ByHeart formula since August. The most recent case was reported on Nov. 13.
No deaths have been reported in the outbreak, which was announced Nov. 8.
“Do not use any ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula,” the CDC said.
ByHeart, a New York-based manufacturer of organic infant formula, has recalled all its products sold in the U.S. The company, which accounts for about 1% of the U.S. infant formula market, had been selling about 200,000 cans of the product each month.
It can take up to 30 days for symptoms of infantile botulism to develop, medical experts said.
See a list of states with reported cases below.
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READ AP'S COVERAGE
As infant botulism cases climb to 31, recalled ByHeart baby formula is still on some store shelves
Cases jump to 31 in the botulism outbreak tied to baby formula. Here’s what to know
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FIND YOUR STATE: WHERE INFANTS GOT SICK WITH BOTULISM
The CDC has a map of states impacted here. The same page links to a timeline graph showing the number of cases reported by date.
ARIZONA
CALIFORNIA
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
KENTUCKY
MAINE
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
NEW JERSEY
NORTH CAROLINA
OREGON
PENNSYLVANIA
RHODE ISLAND
TEXAS
WASHINGTON
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MORE INFORMATION ON INFANT BOTULISM
Infant botulism typically affects fewer than 200 babies in the U.S. each year. As of Sept. 20, 133 cases had been reported in the U.S. according to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records. There were 145 cases reported all of last year.
The infection is caused by a type of bacteria that produces a toxin in the large intestine. The bacterium is spread through hardy spores present in the environment that can cause serious illness, including paralysis.
Infants are particularly vulnerable to infection because their gut microbiomes are not developed enough to prevent the spores from germinating and producing the toxin. They can be sickened after exposure to the spores in dust, dirt or water or by eating contaminated honey.
Symptoms can take weeks to develop and can include poor feeding, loss of head control, drooping eyelids and a flat facial expression. Babies may feel “floppy” and can have problems swallowing or breathing.
Baby formula has previously been linked to sporadic cases of illness, but no known outbreaks of infant botulism tied to powdered formula have previously been confirmed, according to research studies.
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INFANT BOTULISM TREATMENT
The only treatment is known as BabyBIG, an IV medication made from the pooled blood plasma of adults immunized against botulism. California’s infant botulism program developed the product and is the sole source worldwide.
BabyBIG works to shorten hospital stays and decrease the severity of illness in babies with botulism. Because the infection can affect the ability to breathe, infants often need to be placed on ventilators.
All of the children in the ByHeart outbreak have received the medication, the CDC said. The treatment is delivered in vials that cost $69,300 apiece, California officials said.
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RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
Federal and state health officials are concerned that some parents and caregivers may still have ByHeart products in their homes. They are advising consumers to stop using the product — including formula in cans and any singe-serve sticks. They also suggest marking it “DO NOT USE” and keeping it for at least a month in case a baby develops symptoms. In that case, the formula would need to be tested.
The California health department operates the Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program, which tracks cases and distributes treatment for the disease. Officials there have launched a public hotline at 833-398-2022, which is staffed with health officials from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
The hotline was started following hundreds of calls to a longstanding hotline for doctors to discuss suspected infant botulism cases, officials said.
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READ PREVIOUS AP COVERAGE
Families of two babies sickened by infantile botulism sue ByHeart over recalled formula
ByHeart recalls all baby formula sold nationwide as infant botulism outbreak grows
Infant botulism in 10 US states linked to formula being recalled
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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