Botulinum poisoning in Catania

In the Catania region, three instances of food-borne botulism have been documented. The most severe case involved a 59-year-old individual who required a 57-day hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Acireale Hospital due to neurological paralysis resulting from food poisoning. Two relatives of the patient were also admitted to a separate medical facility, though their stay was brief and without lasting effects. According to Giuseppe Rapisarda, Director of the ICU, the patient with the most critical condition was discharged from intensive care following appropriate medical interventions and subsequently transferred to a rehabilitation center for gradual restoration of bodily functions. The relevant Prevention Department has identified a preserved vegetable product as the source of the poisoning and has banned its distribution to avert additional occurrences.