Current:Home > ScamsUniversity of Colorado graduate among those severely ill in France after botulism outbreak -InfinityFinance
University of Colorado graduate among those severely ill in France after botulism outbreak
View
Date:2025-04-14 12:41:44
The parents of Matt Jackson are waiting and worrying about their 41-year-old son who remains in an intensive care unit in a French hospital after being diagnosed with botulism poisoning. The toxin is produced by different forms of the botulinum bacteria and can grow in low oxygen environments like home canned or jarred goods.
"It's like riding a roller coaster," said his father Tom Jackson.
"But today was a bad day," said Lynne Jackson.
Matt has now developed pneumonia, which French doctors are attempting to treat with three antibiotics.
Matt and his girlfriend of 19 years, Kristy Benner, both University of Colorado graduates working in a lighting design industry in California, each got ill after eating at a wine bar in Bordeaux, France. They are among as many as 25 people who are believed to have eaten sardines preserved and prepared by the restaurant. Matt and Kristy were on a vacation that began at the start of September. About five days into it, they sought out a destination wine bar before dinner.
"Tchin Tchin had been kind of on the top of our list to go visit. And it came highly regarded from multiple sources that we know and trust," explained Benner.
The restaurant's operator opened the sardines and some smelled bad, so threw them out. Others, though, were served to patrons over a six day period, according to an investigation by French authorities. One woman, a 31 year old, has died. The restaurant's operator may now face charges of involuntary manslaughter as a French prosecutor is investigating.
For some it took days before symptoms came on. Matt, however, began to experience the symptoms more quickly.
"And then he just became very disoriented and very ... it's hard for him to speak. His mouth was super dry. I thought he was having a stroke," said Benner.
She had to summon an ambulance to take him to a hospital. Doctors were initially baffled. Botulism is not common. In Colorado there are a handful or so of reported illnesses a year. Clostridium botulinum are rod-shaped bacteria which are present in soil and marine sediments around the world. They are anaerobic, meaning they live and grow in low oxygen. When survival conditions are poor the bacteria form protective spores, which have a hard protective coating. In such a state they can survive essentially dormant for years. The neurotoxin is produced during the growth phase of the bacteria and is among the most toxic substances known, potent in microscopic amounts.
"Many cases of foodborne botulism have happened after people ate home-canned, preserved or fermented foods that were contaminated with toxin. The foods might have become contaminated if they were not canned (processed) correctly," states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Initially there were thoughts Matt might have Guillain Barre Syndrome. But as time passed and others began showing illness, including Benner, and doctors focused on botulism.
"I started feeling pretty unwell, like my extremities. And I just felt so tired, like I actually thought I might have COVID. It's just that the swallowing thing was kind of weird. So I didn't have COVID," said Benner.
In France the anti-toxin is kept with the French military and had to be brought to the hospital. In the U.S. physicians go to the CDC to obtain the anti-toxin according to Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety.
As botulism's effect spread through Matt's body he became immobile.
"His whole face is like a frozen face. And it went down into his shoulders and his arms and his legs," said his mother.
He has since regained some movement, but only in limited amounts. The pneumonia is a setback
"All I want to do is just touch him and hug him and hold him," said Lynne Jackson.
Matt's brother and sister, both Coloradans as well, rushed to France to be with him and Kristy. Friends have stepped forward to help and raise money with a social media campaign. The family is not alone in the crisis, but there's no indication of how or when Matt may be able to the return to the United States. While Kristy said she felt there was a lag time in the testing, Matt's parents say his brother tells them the care has been very good.
"In a lot of ways it's been an incredible learning experience for us showing how many friends and loved ones we actually have out there," said Tom Jackson.
Alan GionetAlan Gionet is a reporter for CBS News Colorado. Read his latest reports or check out his bio and send him an email.
Twitter FacebookveryGood! (39)
Related
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- CBP dog sniffs out something unusual in passenger’s luggage -- mummified monkeys
- Gallagher says he won’t run for Congress again after refusing to impeach Homeland Security chief
- Review: Usher shines at star-studded 2024 Super Bowl halftime show
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Body of famed Tennessee sheriff's wife exhumed 57 years after her cold case murder
- Travis Kelce Has Heated Moment with Coach Andy Reid on Field at Super Bowl 2024
- ‘Puppy Bowl’ celebrates a big anniversary this year, one that shelter and rescue pups will cheer
- Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
- Post Malone and Andra Day Give Rockstar Performances Ahead of Super Bowl 2024
Ranking
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- John Cena appears for Savannah Bananas baseball team with electric entrance
- For Las Vegas, a city accustomed to glitz, Super Bowl brings new kind of star power
- Art exhibit honors fun-loving man killed in mass shooting in Maine
- Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
- Man who attacked Las Vegas judge during sentencing now indicted by a grand jury for attempted murder
- Taylor Swift seemingly on way to Super Bowl to root for Travis Kelce after Tokyo shows
- How long has Taylor Swift been dating Travis Kelce? The timeline of the whirlwind romance
Recommendation
$73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
Who is favored to win the 2024 Super Bowl, and which team is the underdog?
House sets second Mayorkas impeachment vote for Tuesday
Oklahoma judge caught sending texts during a murder trial resigns
Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
Score a Look at 49ers Player Kyle Juszczyk and Wife Kristin Juszczyk’s Stylish Romance
Two-legged Puppy Bowl star Mr. Bean steals a 'Bachelor' heart on his hind legs
Ozzy Osbourne threatens legal action after Ye reportedly sampled Black Sabbath in new song