2023-09-12 09:35:16
After a visit to the same restaurant, 6 people found themselves hospitalized at the Bordeaux University Hospital for probable botulinum toxin poisoning. Two other cases have been reported.
This is extremely rare news in France. Six patients were admitted to the Bordeaux University Hospital this weekend for botulinum toxin poisoning, the ARS of Nouvelle-Aquitaine announced this Tuesday, confirming information from the regional daily South West. Three people are in intensive care on life support, while another probable case has been counted and an eighth is “under analysis”.
The people admitted presented “various neurological or digestive symptoms” and “will receive anti-botulinum toxin treatment.
The victims are, for the most part, foreign nationals. These would be German, American and Canadian people. Their common point is that they all visited the Tchin Tchin Wine Bar, in the center of the city, a stone’s throw from Place de la Bourse. They would have consumed suspicious foods there, “at this stage, canned sardines made at home by the restaurateur.
“I admit that I had a batch of sterilized sardines and that when I opened it I had to throw away some which had a strong smell. Others appeared healthy and were served to the customer,” admits the restaurateur to the regional daily. He says he is “devastated”.
Call for vigilance
The ARS emphasizes that, given the incubation time which can range from a few hours to a few days, health establishments are “called for the greatest vigilance”.
“People who have frequented this Bordeaux establishment are called upon to be extremely vigilant and to consult in the event of symptoms,” advises the press release.
The Gironde Departmental Directorate for Population Protection (DDPP) has started investigations into the establishment in question. These are 10 samples which were taken to look for germs and botulinum toxins. The results of the analyzes will be known within three days.
A rare but deadly infection
As the authorities remind us, botulism should not be taken lightly, the infection is fatal in 5 to 10% of cases. It is a serious neurological condition caused by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. This is preserved in particular in poorly preserved foods.
However, cases are rare, 0.5 per million inhabitants according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
“In France, the majority of cases of botulism correspond to food poisoning (…) by foods that have not undergone an extensive sterilization process: cured meats, cold meats or even preserves from family or artisanal origins”, list l ‘ARS.
In the vast majority of cases, the patients treated “heal without after-effects”, however, the duration of treatment and convalescence can extend over several months.
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