At approximately 3 p.m. on Apr. 5, an equipment malfunction in a contained Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Laboratory caused the breakage of a tube containing a milligram of botulism toxin, exposing five school employees to the substance.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), botulisum toxin can paralyze and kill if consumed in contaminated food, but is also safely used, in a purified form, as a medicine to control certain involuntary muscle contractions.
It is also commonly known for its cosmetic uses under the brand name "Botox."
According to school spokeswoman Barbara Donato, the employees, who were not identified, were taken immediately by ambulance to Worcester's UMass Memorial Center University Campus.
Officials did not comment on whether any one of them had fallen ill.
The veterinary school was studying the toxin's effects on food-borne and water-borne diseases under a contract with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Soil-inhabiting bacteria produce the toxin, which degrades rapidly when exposed to air and sunlight.
According to the statement issued, there was at no time any release of the toxin to the environment or exposure to the public.
