--- title: Prison Pruno Causes Botulism date: 2012-11-27T15:22:43-08:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/prison-pruno-causes-botulism" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Outbreaks](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) / # Prison Pruno Causes Botulism A total of 8 inmates from a maximum-security prison in Arizona were hospitalized with suspected botulism poisoning after apparently drinking homemade alcohol, authorities said on Monday, 26 Nov 2012. 7 of the inmates, whose names were not released, were being treated in intensive care with a special antitoxin after being admitted to the hospital on Saturday and Sunday, 24-25 Nov 2012, Pinal County spokeswoman Heather Murphy said. “All of them are unable to breathe on their own right now because of the paralysis caused by the botulism,” Murphy said. The condition of the 8th prisoner was not known. Officials said the inmates, who range from 20 to 35 years old, were apparently poisoned from drinking contraband alcohol made inside the prison from fermented fruit, a brew commonly called pruno. The inmates were assigned to a special management unit at the state prison complex in Florence, Arizona. Prison and county health officials were monitoring other prisoners in the same area for possible additional cases. This is the 2nd time in nearly 4 months that inmates at the Arizona prison have apparently contracted botulism from prison-made alcohol. 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