Saudi Arabia | What is botulism and what is its relationship to poisoning cases in Riyadh?

Weather of Arabia - After the Saudi Ministry of Health announced last Friday that several people in Riyadh had symptoms of poisoning, some experts warned of botulism, which is sometimes described as fatal.

Dr. Khaled Al-Nimr, a consultant in cardiology and arterial catheterization, explained that botulism, which is known as “botulism,” usually occurs as a result of ingesting certain bacterial toxins found in contaminated foods. This poisoning causes symptoms of paralysis in the nerves of the brain, which leads to loss of ability. It affects speech and swallowing, and may cause paralysis of the breathing muscles, which requires providing artificial respiration to the patient, and is usually treated with antitoxins.

In a tweet on his official Twitter account, Al-Nimr warned against eating in restaurants that do not adhere to hygiene standards, stressing that the preference is always to eat at home.

A media statement from the Ministry of Health regarding cases of food poisoning in Riyadh. pic.twitter.com/gSBnikGEu8

- Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Health (@spokesman_moh) May 3, 2024

Botulism

The pediatric consultant for gastrointestinal diseases, liver diseases, nutrition, and endoscopy at the National Guard, Dr. Muhammad Hassa, expressed his concern about the spread of botulism and the recording of cases in Riyadh, where this disease is considered serious and may lead to fatal symptoms. Hassa explained that this type of poisoning occurs as a result of eating Specific bacterial toxins are found in contaminated foods or through wounds, which calls for caution and attention to contaminated burgers and food.

Hassa pointed out that the symptoms of botulism appear in the body within a period ranging between 12 and 36 hours, as these symptoms may include difficulty swallowing and speaking, dryness of the body, drooping vision, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and dry mouth, in addition to Facial weakness on both sides, double vision, and paralysis.

As part of the ongoing efforts to deal with the cases, the Riyadh Municipality announced the closure of all branches of the facility in which cases of poisoning were discovered, and the necessary measures were taken in accordance with the approved health protocols for such cases.

See also:

400 milliliters of rain fell in several hours... Where did that happen?

Saudi Arabia | Learn about the story of “Day of the Sun” in Hail and what is the reason for calling it this name?

Sources:

alarabiya