ADA COUNTY, Idaho - Idaho, Washington and Oregon have reported cases of infant botulism, which they believe to be linked to a recalled baby formula product.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and ByHeart Inc. announced a recall of all sizes and lot numbers of due to possible contamination and links to infant botulism.
The most recent case in the region was reported in Ada County on November 19 by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
It is the only reported case of infant botulism linked to the recall in Idaho and the Department of Health and Welfare said it was working with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Idaho's public health districts to monitor and respond to the situation.
"While infant botulism is rare, it can progress quickly and requires prompt medical attention," said Dr. Christine Hahn, Idaho state epidemiologist and medical director for DHW's Division of Public Health. "We want parents and caregivers to know that we are working closely with our federal partners to understand the extent of this outbreak and ensure that affected products are removed from circulation. If your baby has consumed this formula, please watch for symptoms and seek medical care right away."
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also reported one case of infant botulism in Washington and two cases of infant botulism in Oregon, related to the ByHeart recall.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said parents and caregivers should stop using any ByHeart infant formula products immediately.
Most infants with infant botulism will first show symptoms like constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control and difficulty swallowing, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
If infant botulism goes untreated, infants can experience progressive, flaccid paralysis that can lead to breathing difficulties and weeks of hospitalization. The Food and Drug Administration said infant botulism can be fatal.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said people should not use ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula and should label it "DO NOT USE" and store it in a safe place for at least a month.
If possible, it asked that people take a picture or record the lot number and by date. If your infant develops symptoms of infant botulism, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said your state health department may want to collect the formula for testing.
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