A woman has tragically succumbed to botulism, a rare but severe neurological illness, after consuming sardines at a restaurant in Bordeaux, France. French health officials have reported that
12 other individuals, primarily foreigners, are presently under treatment for this condition.
Botulism typically arises from the consumption of improperly preserved food, leading to a serious neurological ailment. The restaurant located in Bordeaux's city center had preserved the sardines themselves, according to the DGS health authority's announcement.
The woman who passed away had initially sought medical attention in a hospital near Paris upon returning home with her partner. Sadly, she passed away at her residence, while her partner remains in intensive care.
As of Wednesday, 12 individuals continue to receive emergency medical treatment, with five of them requiring respiratory support. Among these patients are American, Irish, German, and Canadian nationals.
One German patient returned home for treatment, as did a resident of Barcelona, Spain. All of these individuals had dined at the "Tchin Tchin Wine Bar" restaurant between September 4 and 10, a period when Bordeaux typically sees a high number of tourists due to its wine and food offerings.
The common factor among these cases is that they all consumed sardines stored by the restaurant owner himself in jars, as reported by the DGS.
Botulism is particularly lethal in 5 to 10 percent of cases, primarily due to the toxin produced by clostridium botulinum bacteria when inadequately sterilized food is consumed.
The authorities are conducting ongoing tests at the restaurant and cannot rule out the possibility of additional botulism cases due to the condition's incubation period, which can extend to several days.
Efforts are being made to contact other individuals who may have also consumed sardines at the restaurant, and up to 25 people could potentially be affected.
Botulism symptoms may include muscle paralysis that can persist for several weeks, with the most immediate danger stemming from respiratory muscle impairment.
An international health alert has been issued, urging hospitals to be vigilant for patients with recent visits to Bordeaux who exhibit symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, or issues with vision or speech.
Anti-toxins from military supplies are being deployed to Bordeaux to address the situation.
The restaurant owner mentioned to a local newspaper that some of the sardine jars were discarded due to a "strong smell" upon opening, but others in good condition were served to customers.
The restaurant has been closed, and the owner has been instructed to cease any further homemade sardine preparations, with authorities seizing the remaining sardines for additional testing.
The establishment, which had no previous hygiene-related issues, will undergo a thorough cleaning process. Photo by Content Providers: CDC, Wikimedia commons.