Scientists have provided more detail on some of those sickened in a botulism outbreak in Saudi Arabia earlier this year. The study covered the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 19 people who were suspected and eight cases that met the case definition for botulism as part of the outbreak that affected a total of 75 people in Riyadh. Foodborne botulism has not been previously reported in Saudi Arabia.
All patients referred to Riyadh First Health Cluster Hospitals between April 22 to 25, with gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory distress, or descending paralysis after consuming mayonnaise from the popular Hamburgini burger restaurant chain were admitted for assessment and care. Scientists conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records and interviewed patients hospitalized with foodborne botulism or their attendants. Findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health .
Burger outlet link The eight confirmed cases ranged in age from 12 to 38. Two were male and six were female. All patients went to hospitals between 20 and 105 hours after eating contaminated food.
Seven were of Saudi nationality and one was a non-Saudi. They all had the same epidemiological link, having eaten from different branches of a well-known burger restaurant. Two cases were stable, six required intubations, with one of them being brain dead.
Only eight of 11 people who consumed the identical meal from the same burger restaurant displayed signs of botulinum toxici.