A case of botulism has been identified in a Maine infant following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recall for a brand of powdered formula.
The child, who is believed to have consumed ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, remains hospitalized, according to a Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson. The infant, whose illness was reported Monday, is receiving specialized therapy to treat botulism.
No one, including infants, parents or caregivers, or other family members, should be consuming ByHeart Whole Nutrition formula while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigates botulism risk in those products.
At least 15 infants in states across the country have been sickened by the botulism contamination. ByHeart issued a recall of all of its products sold nationwide last week.
ByHeart officials expanded the voluntary recall from the initial two lots to all products in consumers’ homes and in stores. That includes ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula and Anywhere Pack pouches of powdered formula.
Parents and caregivers who have the formula in their homes have been asked to immediately discontinue use and dispose of the product.
Infant botulism is a rare and serious illness that occurs in babies under age 1, whose gut microbiomes are immature. It is caused when the infants consume bacteria that contain spores that produce a toxin in the gut. Symptoms include constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelid, weak muscle tone, difficulty swallowing and breathing problems, among others.
Babies who develop those symptoms need immediate medical attention. The sole treatment for the infection is BabyBIG, an IV medication made from blood plasma of people immunized against botulism.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
