Health alert: one dead and 8 hospitalized in Bordeaux due to botulism outbreak

Health alert in France. One person has died while 8 others have had to receive medical assistance due to a suspected outbreak of botulism contracted at the Tchin Tchin Wine Bar establishment, located in Bordeaux. Initial investigations suggest that the origin of the outbreak could be in the canned homemade sardines prepared in the establishment itself. The affected customers, several of them tourists, one of them a Spanish national, consumed the fish between September 4 and 10.

French authorities confirmed the death of a 32-year-old woman from the consumption of contaminated products in Bordeaux, France. In addition, eight other people remain hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the University Hospital of that region. Dr. Benjamin Clouzeau said that an additional case was treated at a hospital in Barcelona.

“Botulism is a serious disease (fatal in 5% to 10% of cases) whose incubation time varies from a few hours to a few days. Symptoms include digestive disorders (abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea), eye damage (blurred or double vision), dry mouth accompanied by swallowing or speech problems, or neurological symptoms.”The French public health service said in a press release.

It is known that botulism is caused by a toxin generated by Clostridium bacteria, which can contaminate food if it is not subjected to heat treatment (the toxin is destroyed at 85 degrees) or is contaminated when processed as canned food.

The Bordeaux authorities have reported that the situation has not yet been completely resolved after the outbreak, so they do not rule out new cases and are trying to contact about thirty more people that the restaurant managers estimate may have consumed the suspected sardines.
So far this summer, Europe has witnessed two major outbreaks of botulism in which a total of 12 people have been affected. The first originated in Spain and is linked to the consumption of packaged tortilla chips purchased in supermarkets. Those with symptoms included Italians and Norwegians. No one has died as a result of the outbreak, but six patients have been hospitalized, all of whom have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit for treatment.