A San โVito al Tagliamento family experienced botulism โpoisoning after consuming homemade eggplantโ preserved in oil, promptingโข a regional โhealth alert. Despite appearing normal, โขthe food contained the toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum.
The incident began when โa mother and her 19-year-old son sought emergency care at the Sanโ Vito al Tagliamentoโ hospital, reporting double vision, blurred vision, and dilatedโ pupils. Dr. Alessandro Sovran, the attending physician, diagnosed the rare but serious condition, recognizing symptoms that can easily be mistaken for other ailments. The โขfamily had reportedly enjoyed the eggplant, prepared by the grandmother during the summer, the day prior,โฃ noting it’s delicious โขtaste and finding no visible signs of contamination when opening the jar. The father, who had consumed a smaller portion and exhibited milder symptoms,โ was also alerted.
Following theโ initial diagnosis, the motherโ and son where transferred to the emergency department in pordenone forโ confirmation byโข aโ neurologist and infectious disease specialist. The father remained under observation.โ Health authorities immediately โactivated โthe Hygiene Department, which collected theโ jar of โeggplant, along with samples of blood, โฃfeces, and the food itself, from โฃthe family’s home and refrigerator. โข
Laboratory analysis conducted โขat the โZooprophylactic Institute of Treviso confirmed the presence of โข Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium responsible for producing the perilousโ toxin. The case underscores the risks associated โคwith home-canned foods and the importance of proper preservation techniques to prevent botulism, a โคperhaps life-threatening illness. Health officialsโ are continuing to investigate to ensure no further cases arise.
