A rare case of human botulism has been discovered in NJ

🔴 A Camden county resident has tested positive for botulism

🔴 Botulism is a rare illness that attacks the nerves

🔴 There are three kinds of botulism, state health officials say

A Camden County resident has tested positive for botulism, a rare illness that attacks the body’s nerves, according to the county health department.

State health officials said botulism is a rare illness caused by the bacterium clostridium and related to bacteria that attacks the body’s nerves.

However, the illness is not contagious, said Camden County Health Officer, Dr. Paschal Nwako. He said the disease is spread through food or wounds. It cannot be spread from person to person.

There are three main kinds of botulism, the county health department reported.

Foodborne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the toxin. Wound botulism is caused by toxins produced from a wound infected with the bacteria, and infant botulism occurs when babies eat foods containing spores of the bacteria, which then grow in the intestines, and release toxins into the body.

All forms can be fatal and are considered medical emergencies.

Symptoms of botulism include difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids, blurry vision, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, and difficulty moving the eyes.

Signs and symptoms of foodborne botulism may also include vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea.

If an infant is experiencing constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids, pupils that are slow to react to light, a face showing less expression than usual, and a weak cry, those can be signs of botulism, as well.

It’s not clear where the infected resident resides, but county health officials said they will continue to monitor the situation and investigate the case.

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