Ohio botulism outbreak grows

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The number of suspected cases of botulism tied to a church potluck has increased slightly as Ohio health officials work to test more than 20 samples of food to pinpoint the outbreak's source.

The Ohio Department of Health said Friday that one case has been confirmed and another 26 people are suspected of having botulism after a potluck dinner last weekend at Cross Pointe Free Will Baptist Church in Lancaster.

There has also been one death from the outbreak. A 55-year-old woman, Kennetha Shaw, of Rushville, died Tuesday.

CBS Columbus affiliate WBNS-TV reports that about 50 to 60 people are believed to have eaten at the potluck dinner, including 10 children.

Health officials are testing 21 homemade and store-bought foods from the dinner, including canned pickles, potato salad and coleslaw, to determine the source.

A botulism antitoxin arrived this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to treat those who are ill.

Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by bacteria that produce nerve toxins. The CDC says only about 145 cases are reported in the U.S. each year.

Symptoms of botulism can include blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness -- a result of muscle paralysis caused by the toxin. Without treatment, the paralysis can progress to affect the respiratory muscles, arms, legs, and torso.

Symptoms generally begin to emerge 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but it can take as long as 10 days for someone to get sick.