A 48-year-old Brazilian woman has been hospitalized for over a year after eating pesto, which reportedly made her ill.
She said she bought the sauce on December 31 and ate it weeks later in late January 2022.
''t have an expiration date, and the person who sold it to me didn't give me storage instructions either, but I was a frequent customer on the store,'' Goes said. She said she felt ill a few hours after eating the pesto.
She was vomiting and had difficulty breathing, and doctors rushed her to a computerised tomography scan. The neurologist found Goes was mostly paralysed, able to only wiggle two toes when asked to move.
She soon received a diagnosed with botulism, a rare condition that happens when a toxin produced by bacteria attacks the body's nerves. Botulism is often the result of bacteria found in food ; they thrive in home-canned food, especially. Botulism can be caused by homemade food that hasn't been stored properly. It can also happen when a wound is exposed to bacteria.
Foodborne botulism, which can cause symptoms such as dry mouth, difficulty speaking or swallowing, weakness on both sides of one's face, double vision, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and paralysis, is a disease caused by foodborne botulism. Would botulism cause some- but not all of those symptoms?
The symptoms of wound botulism may not last for 10 days after a wound has been exposed to bacteria, but the warning signs of foodborne botulism usually begin within 12 to 36 hours after eating the food.
Should you have botulism, it's important to get medical attention, since it can be life-threatening. The condition affects one's ability to control their muscles, leading to problems that take a long time to heal, such as shortness of breath and lasting weakness.
In the event that a doctor suspects botulism, they will ask what kinds of foods you've recently eaten. To confirm the diagnosis, eyelids may be screened for paralysis or muscle weakness or drooping eyelids. Toxin samples can be sent to the doctor, who may request a sample of one's blood, vomit, or stool to examine for the toxin that causes the illness.
Some people experiencing foodborne botulism may be treated with drugs that cause people to vomit or empty their bowels, since clearing the digestive system may ease symptoms. Antitoxins, which attach to toxins and keep them from harming the nervous system, can also be injected to treat foodborne botulism. These drugs can't reverse harm that has already been done, but nerves can sometimes repair themselves. Antibiotics are commonly used to treat wound botulism.
Goes had to stay in the hospital for a year before being admitted. I have been breathing without help for nine months, which is a good sign, she said, adding that she can now go to the bathroom by herself and also feed herself. He added: 'It is still hard,' he said.
Under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are a couple of ways to lower your chances of suffering from foodborne botulism. By refrigerating foods that may contain toxin, such as oils containing herbs or garlic, you can keep baked potatoes wrapped in aluminium foil hot until they're served. TheCDC recommends refrigerating pickled or canned foods after they've been opened.
She said she avoids shops like the one where she bought the pesto that made her ill, saying she was careful when buying food from restaurants, shops and fairs.