Toxic oil syndrome

Toxic oil syndrome is a rare syndrome first reported in Spain In 1981.

History

A 7-year-old Spanish boy died within hours of presented in Spain with an unusual rash and respiratory distress.

Cluster of cases

Within a week, over 500 more cases were reported in Spain.

Symptoms

Patients had intense muscle pains, called myalgia, and very high numbers of a specific type of white blood cell, called eosinophilia. In total, over 20,000 cases occurred, and well over 300 people died.

New Mexico USA

In 1989, an astute physician from New Mexico reported a cluster of similar symptoms, including debilitating muscle pain, rashes, and dramatic eosinophilia. Subsequently, CDC's national surveillance data determined that over 1,500 Americans had eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome, and 36 deaths were reported.

Cause

Through extensive collaborations and investigation, the causes of these similar outbreaks were traced back to a contaminated oil in Spain, and contaminated food supplements containing amino acid L-tryptophan in the United States.