Health officials investigate apparent wound botulism case in Doña Ana County

Sun-News Reports | Las Cruces Sun-News

LAS CRUCES - The New Mexico Department of Health is investigating a case of apparent wound botulism in a 21-year-old woman from Doña Ana County, the department announced Monday.

The suspected source of infection is contaminated black tar heroin, the department stated in a news release. The woman injected black tar heroin under the skin, also known as “skin popping.” The woman is currently hospitalized.

This is the first case of wound botulism that has been reported to the department this year. There was one confirmed cases in Doña Ana County in 2017. It is not known if there are other cases in New Mexico, or neighboring communities of Texas, or the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

“We are asking healthcare providers to carefully consider wound botulism in patients who are showing symptoms, especially if they have a history of injection drug use,” Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Lynn Gallagher said in a statement.

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“People who inject drugs should be aware of the signs and symptoms associated with wound botulism and seek immediate medical attention if they begin to experience any of those signs or symptoms," Gallagher added.

Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Wound botulism is caused by a toxin produced from an infected wound. Injecting heroin under the skin where there is little or no oxygen available allows the organism to grow and produce a deadly toxin leading to progressive descending muscle paralysis and death.

Signs and symptoms of botulism include:

double vision

blurred vision

drooping eyelids

slurred speech

difficulty swallowing

dry mouth

muscle weakness/descending paralysis

difficulty breathing/shortness of breath

If left untreated, initial symptoms may progress to include paralysis of the respiratory muscles, arms, legs, and trunk with subsequent death. Anyone with these symptoms and a history of heroin injection should seek medical attention immediately.

In addition, the Department of Health recommends: