Homemade canned peppers have been linked to four botulism cases, including one fatality in the Armenian capital city of Yerevan, according to Armenia Public Television.

Image/VincenzoRaucci
Image/VincenzoRaucci

According to the report, the four family members had eaten the canned peppers on October 26th. One day later, one of the family members felt typical symptoms of botulism, while for the rest of the family presented symptoms on the 3rd day.

The initial patient passed away from the lethal toxin while the remaining patients are currently receiving treatment for their illnesses.

Food borne botulism is a severe intoxication caused by eating the preformed toxin present in contaminated food.

Food borne botulism occurs when the bacterium Clostridium botulinum is allowed to grow and produce toxin in food that is later eaten without sufficient heating or cooking to inactivate the toxin. Botulinum toxin is one of the most potent neurotoxins known.

Typically in a few hours to several days after you eat the contaminated food you will start to show the classic symptoms; blurred vision, dry mouth, and difficulty in swallowing. Gastrointestinal symptoms may or may not occur. If untreated, the paralysis always descends through the body starting at the shoulders and working its way down.

The most serious complication of botulism is respiratory failure where it is fatal in up to 10% of people. It may take months before recovery is complete.

If the disease is caught early enough it can be treated with antitoxin. If paralysis and respiratory failure happen, the person may be on a ventilator for several weeks.

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