Officials in Paraguay have reported four confirmed cases of foodborne botulism.
The General Directorate of Health Surveillance (DGVS), part of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, said it is conducting an epidemiological and sanitary investigation.
All patients are adults and a link has been made to eating at a commercial establishment in the city of Asunción. Affected individuals are receiving specialized care in hospitals.
Other agencies involved are the National Health Surveillance Directorate (DINAVISA), the National Service of Quality and Animal Health (SENACSA) and the Central Laboratory of Public Health (LCSP).
Inspection, traceability, sampling and technical analysis tasks are being carried out to find the source of infection.
Botulinum poisoning is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria.
In Paraguay’s latest epidemiological bulletin, covering May 10 to 16, there were 26 reports of food poisoning, compared to 57 in the same period in 2025.
From the start of 2026 to mid-May, 74 cases of food and waterborne illness have been registered, of which 40 were confirmed. Of confirmed cases, 10 were in the 15–19-year-old age group, six were in the 0-4 age group, and five in the 10-14 age group. Overall, 23 patients were female.
Causative agents identified in stool samples from individual cases were Campylobacter, E. coli, and Shigella. There was one notification of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).
About botulism
Food contaminated with the spores that produce botulism toxins does not look, smell or taste bad.
While a variety of food poisoning can result from eating under-processed food, one of the most dangerous is botulism poisoning. Untreated, botulism can paralyze the muscles needed for breathing, resulting in sudden death. Anyone who has developed signs of botulism poisoning should immediately seek medical attention.
In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food. However, symptoms can begin as soon as 6 hours after or up to 10 days later.
The symptoms of botulism may include some or all of the following: double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, a thick-feeling tongue, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. People with botulism poisoning may not show all of these symptoms at once.
These symptoms result from muscle paralysis caused by the toxin. If untreated, the disease may progress, and symptoms may worsen to cause paralysis of muscles, including those used in breathing and those in the arms, legs, and the body from the neck to the pelvis area.
