ST. CLAIRESVILLE — Contraband homemade alcohol seems to be the culprit in four inmates at Belmont Correctional Institution being hospitalized for suspected botulism.

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction said the four inmates were being treated at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. Based on available information, it is believed illnesses are linked to contraband homemade alcohol, commonly referred to as “hooch.”

According to the ODRC, the Ohio Department of Health notified the department Aug. 30 about two suspected botulism cases, and a third and fourth case developed in the following days. All four inmates have received anti-toxin medication from the Centers for Disease Control.

According to the CDC, botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves, causing difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death. The bacteria can produce the toxin in food, wounds and the intestines of infants.

There are five types of botulism: foodborne, wound, infant, iatrogenic (too much botulism toxin injected for cosmetic or medical reasons), and adult intestinal toxemia (the bacteria gets into adult intestines and grows).

ODRC medical staff conducted education screenings with more than 2,000 inmates at BECI to see if any others had consumed the contraband alcohol in the last two weeks. Those inmates were medically evaluated and have not shown symptoms. They will continue to be monitored.

Prison staff on Aug. 30 conducted a targeted search of the housing areas associated with the suspected cases and more homemade alcohol was confiscated. A second full search of the facility was conducted Thursday.

Botulism is not known to be contagious, and those who consumed the contaminated homemade alcohol are the only at-risk individuals.