The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has alerted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to a multistate outbreak of infant botulism connected to ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula. The alert has prompted a nationwide recall and an ongoing investigation involving state and federal health agencies.

According to CDPH, the state’s Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program first noticed an unusual increase in cases earlier this year. Testing by the state’s public health laboratory found evidence of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that produce the toxin responsible for botulism, in a sample of ByHeart powdered formula.

Health officials said 13 suspected or confirmed cases of infant botulism have been reported across 10 states since August. Eight o

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