BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper was hospitalized after encountering a fentanyl-laced container in Bexar County, the department said.

In a tweet, the Texas DPS said the trooper became ill after conducting a vehicle search during a traffic stop in Bexar County. It did not say when or where the stop occurred.

Medical personnel administered the opioid antidote Narcan to reverse the effects of the fentanyl, and the trooper was taken to a hospital.

Special Agents found a water bottle in the vehicle that tested positive for the illicit drug.

Fentanyl is an extremely powerful synthetic drug in the opioid family. It can be up to 100 times more potent than morphine and has become one of the most deadly drugs in the United States, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it isn't uncommon for first responders to come in contact with a mixture of illicit drugs while on duty, including cocaine, heroin or fentanyl. Depending on what form fentanyl is in, a first responder can inadvertently breath it in or absorb it through the skin, eyes, nose or mouth if touched.

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