Infant formula recall linked to infant botulism
RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — If you’re a parent or caregiver you may want to double check your formula as one is being recalled.
There’s a nationwide voluntarily recall of ByHeart Inc. Whole Nutrition Infant Formula due to an outbreak of infant botulism.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as of Monday, 15 infants have been reported with suspected or confirmed infant botulism due to exposure to the formula across 12 states including North Carolina.
If you bought the product, officials are urging you not to use the formula. Instead, return it to the store or throw it away but record the products lot number. Also, wash any surfaces that may have touched the formula.
Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by nerve toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. All forms of the illness can be fatal.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)sent a memo to health care providers as they should be alert of infants with symptoms consistent with the illness.
According to NCDHHS, symptoms can take several weeks to develop but include poor feeding, difficulty swallowing, decreased facial expression, loss of head control, and raspatory difficulty.
