Hunted boar meat that left New Zealand family in 'vegetative state' tainted by botulism
Doctors believe the three people in New Zealand suffering severe food poisoning and risk being paralysed for life contracted botulism after eating wild boar.
Subi Babu, 32, her husband Shibu Kochummen, 35, and his mother Alekutty Daniel, 62, have not yet gained full consciousness after contracting the rare and potentially fatal bacterial illness last week.
"While we don't know the exact cause and source of this illness, we now believe it is botulism," a Waikato Hospital spokesperson said.
The couple's children, aged seven and one, escaped harm as the game meat was the only item of food they did not eat with their meal last Friday evening.
The three adults reportedly ate the wild boar Mr Kochummen had shot on a hunting trip.
Waikato Hospital on Friday confirmed the trio was suffering from the toxin, which is caused by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning with symptoms including weakness, dizziness, double-vision, trouble speaking or swallowing, vomiting, muscle weakness and paralysis.
Few foodborne botulism cases have been reported since the 50s, with instances noted in the US, Canada, UK, China and the Ukraine.
The hospital spokesperson said the "three patients are responding to botulism anti-toxin and are recovering in hospital".
"We have sent samples off to a specialist centre in Queensland for testing but it may take several weeks before we get the results. We have no evidence to believe there is any public health issue."
The trio were reportedly responding to botulism treatment however they have not yet been able to talk or swallow, and the road to recovery is expected to take months and they could risk permanent disability.
Friend Joji Varghese told the newspaper neighbours reported the adults were throwing up every 15 minutes, the illness striking within half an hour of eating dinner.
Ms Babu called emergency services and fainted through the conversation, Varghese said.
Paramedics arrived at the family home in Putaruru, on New Zealand's North Island, to find the trio lying unconscious.
Mr Varghese said medical specialists told him it could take up to two months for the poison to leave his friends' bodies.
On Friday he told the newspaper doctors wished for the public to know the cause of the family's severe food poisoning.
The couple's children are reportedly being looked after by their local church group until they can be placed with family who will travel to New Zealand from India.
Their grandmother is on a visitor's visa from India and does not have medical insurance, so she will be billed full medical costs for treatment that doctors say could last up to six months.
The Indian High Commission and Ministry for Vulnerable Children have been approached to help the family raise money.
There is also a call to the wider Kiwi/Indian community to help with household bills and health expenses.
