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Abstract
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We read with interest the report by He et al. describing a foodborne cluster event attributed to Vibrio parahaemolyticus, underscoring the importance of food safety. Likewise, Bongkrekic acid (BA), produced by the bacterium Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans (B. cocovenenans), is a lethal toxin implicated in outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with coconut- and corn-based products. The outbreak of foodborne BA poisoning has been rarely reported in Indonesia, China, and Mozambique. Recently, the first outbreak of BA-related food poisoning occurred at the end of March 2024 in a Taipei restaurant, resulting in several deaths. This event underscores the critical importance of food safety. However, BA might be an unrecognized cause of toxic outbreaks and our understanding of foodborne BA and B. cocovenenans has been limited due to the rarity. Therefore, we conducted this comprehensive review to provide updated information about this rare yet fatal toxin - BA and its association with B. cocovenenans.
Between March 19 and March 23, the first nine patrons who dined at a branch of the Malaysian restaurant Polam Kopitiam in Taipei all consumed stir-fried rice noodle dishes and developed initial symptoms within 12 hours. Some individuals rapidly progressed to liver and kidney failure, shock, and fulminant hepatitis within a very short period. Two fatalities occurred on March 24 and March 27. Further forensic examination by experts from National Taiwan University's Department of Forensic Medicine revealed the presence of BA in the blood of one of the deceased, marking the first-ever detection of the toxin in Taiwan. Furthermore, all patients with severe illness tested positive for BA. Despite BA being detected on samples collected from one of the chef's hands in the restaurant, none of the tested food samples from the restaurant or its suppliers, including two types of rice noodles (flat rice noodle and vermicelli) and pandan leaves, showed evidence of BA contamination and B. cocovenenans. Meanwhile, an increasing number of individuals reported falling ill after dining at the restaurant. In summary, a total of 34 people fell ill after dining at the restaurant between March 19 and March 24. BA has been detected in 22 affected individuals, while the remaining eight are still undergoing testing for the toxin. Among them, two individuals have died, four are in critical condition, three remain hospitalized in a regular ward, and 25 have been discharged or did not require medical attention. Investigation revealed that all affected individuals had consumed flat rice noodles, making it the most likely cause of the outbreak. ...
Language: en |