“We are very worried about my father”: new case of botulism, a 65-year-old man hospitalized after eating canned pâté

A simple can of pâté sends him to the hospital. A 65-year-old man is currently hospitalized in intensive care at Grenoble University Hospital after consuming a pork terrine. Analyzes from the Pasteur Institute detected the presence of botulinum toxin. “We are very worried about my father,” his son explains to Dauphiné Libéré. “We hope that he can recover quickly and that he will not have any after-effects.”

The 65-year-old man had eaten a pork terrine produced on the farm by EARL Les Peupliers in Mottier in Isère. As soon as the results were known, the Isère prefecture ordered the recall of the boxes of pork terrine. A few dozen cans would be affected. “The production conditions do not make it possible to guarantee the sterilization of the jars,” indicates the prefecture.

In May 2023, it was in Bordeaux that several dramatic cases of botulism had been detected. A 32-year-old woman died and sixteen people were victims of poisoning, several of them even having to be placed in intensive care. All these victims had eaten canned sardines made in an artisanal manner by a restaurant, the Tchin Tchin Wine Bar. The investigation showed that the sterilization equipment used could reach a maximum of 100°C. However, it is from 100°C that sterilization can begin. The manager is still under judicial supervision and the bar has been placed in compulsory liquidation.

Also read:
Case of botulism in Bordeaux: a woman died following food poisoning, the restaurant owner placed in police custody

A serious neurological condition

Botulism is a rare and serious neurological condition. It can be fatal in 5 to 10% of cases. It is caused by a very powerful toxin produced by a bacteria which develops in poorly preserved foods due to lack of sufficient sterilization.

The main problems are blurred vision, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing or even speech. The most serious cases result in paralysis of the limbs, particularly the respiratory muscles. Respiratory failure can lead to the death of the patient.

Also read:
Botulism: symptoms, incubation time, treatment… what you need to know about the disease

Several months of convalescence

Antitoxin treatment can be administered to patients, explains the Pasteur Institute on its website. It may be accompanied by intensive respiratory care with assisted ventilation. Patients treated quickly generally have no after-effects, but treatment and convalescence can last several weeks or even months.