Ricin Toxin Poisoning

Ricin Toxin Poisoning

Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans. If castor beans are chewed and swallowed, the released ricin can cause injury. Within a few hours of inhaling significant amounts of ricin, the likely symptoms would be respiratory distress (difficulty breathing), fever, cough, nausea, and tightness in the chest. If someone swallows a significant amount of ricin, he or she would likely develop vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody. Severe dehydration may be the result, followed by low blood pressure.

Ricin Toxin Poisoning is monitored to evaluate and improve prevention measures

In 2023, the number of Ricin Toxin Poisoning in Alachua County was compared to Florida at 1. The line graph shows change over time when there are at least three years of data.

Links:   Healthy People 2030 | Other Resource
Alachua County
Ricin Toxin Poisoning, Single Year
Click on county name or “Florida” in the legend to hide or show the county or state.
Ricin Toxin Poisoning, Single Year  
AlachuaFlorida
Data YearCountCount
202301
202200
202100
202001
201902
201804
201700
201601
201504
201400
201301
201200
201100
201000
200900
200800
200700
200600
200500
200400
Florida
Ricin Toxin Poisoning, 2023
At least 51 counties must have rates greater than zero for a quartile map to be displayed.
Ricin Toxin Poisoning, 2023  
CountyCount
Florida1
Alachua0
Baker0
Bay0
Bradford0
Brevard0
Broward1
Calhoun0
Charlotte0
Citrus0
Clay0
Collier0
Columbia0
Miami-Dade0
DeSoto0
Dixie0
Duval0
Escambia0
Flagler0
Franklin0
Gadsden0
Gilchrist0
Glades0
Gulf0
Hamilton0
Hardee0
Hendry0
Hernando0
Highlands0
Hillsborough0
Holmes0
Indian River0
Jackson0
Jefferson0
Lafayette0
Lake0
Lee0
Leon0
Levy0
Liberty0
Madison0
Manatee0
Marion0
Martin0
Monroe0
Nassau0
Okaloosa0
Okeechobee0
Orange0
Osceola0
Palm Beach0
Pasco0
Pinellas0
Polk0
Putnam0
St. Johns0
St. Lucie0
Santa Rosa0
Sarasota0
Seminole0
Sumter0
Suwannee0
Taylor0
Union0
Volusia0
Wakulla0
Walton0
Washington0
8/11/2025 12:13:06 AM

Data Note(s)

Data Source: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology

  • Merlin Code 98830
  • This disease became reportable on June 9, 2003. The first full year of data collection is 2004. Cases occurring in previous years may have been retrospectively identified after becoming reportable. Counts and rates include confirmed and probable cases of Ricin Toxin Poisoning .
  • Data presented here are from Merlin, Florida's web-based reportable disease surveillance system. Note that any data prior to 1992 are not maintained in Merlin and should be interpreted with caution.
  • Data in this report are aggregated by the date the case was reported to the Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health. Cases are assigned to Florida counties based on the county of residence at the time of the disease identification, regardless of where they became ill or were hospitalized, diagnosed, or exposed.
  • Reports for reportable disease data are produced weekly, monthly, and annually. To access these reports, visit Surveillance Publications. More detailed information on interpreting data can be found in the introduction section of the annual reports. For questions, please contact the Bureau of Epidemiology at (850) 245-4401.
  • This is primary, quantitative data.
  • Chart will display if there are at least three years of data.
  • Multi-year counts are a sum of the selected years, not an average.
  • Quartiles are calculated when data are available for at least 51 counties.