WOMAN, 30, DIES OF BOTULISM IN ARMENIA
tert.am
15.11.12
A 30-year-old female resident of Armenia's second largest city,
Gyumri, died of botulism poisoning at the Republican Medical Center
Armenia on Tuesday.
Commenting on the causes of her death, a chief specialist at the
Health Ministry's Hygiene and Epidemic Inspection, told our reported
that the patient, A. Amiryan, was hospitalized in a critical condition.
"They did not immediately realize what was going on. The patient
thought she was feeling bad because of catching a cold. She had
washed a carpet a few days before. Only after diagnostic check-ups
that lasted four days did the doctors learn that conserved food had
caused the woman to feel bad," Lilit Hunanyan told Tert.am.
This form of poisoning, caused predominantly by home-made preserved
food, commonly occurs in winter.
"Hard though housewives may try, the preserved products they make
at home cannot be safe enough," he said, adding that 120 0C heat is
necessary to kill the harmful substances contained in those products.
"But if, nonetheless, our housewives have prepared conserved products
at home, they must at least boil them for 20-25 minutes before eating,"
she said, pointing out to dizziness, nausea, weakness, vomiting and
defecation disorders as the most frequently occurring symptoms of
the disease.
"Once these symptoms occur, it is necessary to immediately turn to a
doctor, avoiding self-treatment. It may have irrevocable consequences,"
the specialist warned.
The botulism rate in Armenia is down from the 29 cases in 2011 to 20
cases in 2012. Three people died of the disease this year.
tert.am
15.11.12
A 30-year-old female resident of Armenia's second largest city,
Gyumri, died of botulism poisoning at the Republican Medical Center
Armenia on Tuesday.
Commenting on the causes of her death, a chief specialist at the
Health Ministry's Hygiene and Epidemic Inspection, told our reported
that the patient, A. Amiryan, was hospitalized in a critical condition.
"They did not immediately realize what was going on. The patient
thought she was feeling bad because of catching a cold. She had
washed a carpet a few days before. Only after diagnostic check-ups
that lasted four days did the doctors learn that conserved food had
caused the woman to feel bad," Lilit Hunanyan told Tert.am.
This form of poisoning, caused predominantly by home-made preserved
food, commonly occurs in winter.
"Hard though housewives may try, the preserved products they make
at home cannot be safe enough," he said, adding that 120 0C heat is
necessary to kill the harmful substances contained in those products.
"But if, nonetheless, our housewives have prepared conserved products
at home, they must at least boil them for 20-25 minutes before eating,"
she said, pointing out to dizziness, nausea, weakness, vomiting and
defecation disorders as the most frequently occurring symptoms of
the disease.
"Once these symptoms occur, it is necessary to immediately turn to a
doctor, avoiding self-treatment. It may have irrevocable consequences,"
the specialist warned.
The botulism rate in Armenia is down from the 29 cases in 2011 to 20
cases in 2012. Three people died of the disease this year.