There is an alert in Timișoara where 11 children between the ages of 3 and 7 were admitted to the hospital for infectious diseases with botulism.
The children are hospitalized in Timișoara PHOTO: archive
Of the 11 children hospitalized with botulism, two are in serious condition, doctors say.
The children come from two families of foster carers and there are suspicions that they got sick from the sausages they received during the holidays, when they went to carols, writes Digi24.ro.
Symptoms were felt on January 9, when two of the foster children, ages 5 and 9, were taken to the hospital. Being admitted to Lugoj with the diagnosis of gastro-enterocolitis.
“On January 15, they were discharged with a recommendation for treatment, but certain symptoms continued, namely the fixed gaze and drooping eyelid, which were also present when they were in the hospital. And the children were discharged practically with these problems”according to Smaranda Marcu, spokesperson of DGASPC Timiș.
Later, two other children, from another foster care family in the same locality, started to have symptoms. So all 11 children, from the 2 families, were taken to the Hospital “Victor Babes”from Timisoara.
“3 only required discharge at home, but 8 required hospitalisation, two cases being critical, one requiring intensive care”, mentioned Cristian Oancea, the manager of the Infectious Diseases Hospital “Victor Babeș” in Timișoara.
The Directorate of Public Health Timișoara has launched a large-scale investigation and is trying to identify the causes of the infection.
“Botulism is a severe intoxication caused by botulinum toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. This toxin can affect the nervous system, causing muscle paralysis and, in extreme cases, endangering the patient's life. Among the symptoms that can appear are: muscle weakness, breathing difficulties, blurred vision, swallowing difficulties, digestive phenomena and even paralysis. The bacterium that causes the disease only develops under conditions of anaerobiosis in food (in the absence of oxygen)”, specify in a press release, the representatives of the “Victor Babeş” Infectious Diseases Hospital from Timisoara.
