Woman cheats death after decision to add broccoli to her sandwich left her in intensive care

Two people have now tragically lost their lives after eating an allegedly contaminated sausage and broccoli sandwich, with 17 others left hospitalised in Calabria, Italy.

In the last week, the likes of Luigi Di Sarno, 52, and Tamara D'Acunto, 45, have died after showing signs of botulism, which is caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can attack the body's nervous system.

In a worst-case scenario, it can result in death - something which 24-year-old student, Gaia Vitiello, has narrowly avoided.

Gaia bought the contaminated panini from a food truck in the town of Diamante, telling Italian outlet Corriere della Sera that she and her mates all bought the same sandwich earlier this month (5 August).

However, she was the only one to add in broccoli.

Italian student, Gaia Vitiello, 24, fell ill after eating a broccoli sandwich from a food truck (Gaia Vitiello)

What happened?

"My friends only had mayonnaise, sausage, and chips. I added broccoli. It was the first time I'd ever done that," she told the newspaper.

"I had diarrhoea. I thought it was indigestion. The next day, the symptoms worsened. I couldn't swallow and my legs were shaking."

After initially wanting to just sleep off the symptoms, Gaia's sister thankfully convinced her to go to the hospital to get everything officially checked out.

"If my sister Alessia hadn't taken me to the hospital by force, I wouldn't be here today," the student explained.

Gaia was later taken to another hospital where she was treated.

The food truck in question has reportedly since been closed by police, with the contaminated product reported by ITV News to have been broccoli preserved in oil.

The Paola Public Prosecutor's Office is now investigating a botulism outbreak which is believed to have happened in the food truck.

Two people have died and at least 17 people have also been hospitalised following signs of botulism (Tom Williams / Contributor / Getty Images)

What is botulism?

There are three different types of botulism, which include:

• Food-borne botulism - food contaminated with botulism, usually because it hasn’t been canned, stored, or cooked properly.

• Wound botulism – when germs get into a cut or wound from using drugs like heroin that have been contaminated

• Infant botulism – when a baby swallows a tiny germ spore from things like dirty soil or honey. These spores don’t make older children or adults sick because, after the age of one, the body can fight them off.

Luigi Di Sarno, 52, tragically died last week after showing signs of botulism (Facebook)

What are the symptoms of botulism?

The NHS notes that symptoms of botulism can include:

• droopy eyelids

• blurred vision

• muscle weakness in your face

• difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)

• slurred speech

• breathing difficulties

Tamara D'Acunto was the second person to die after eating a broccoli sandwich (Facebook)

What have health authorities said about the broccoli sandwich?

Maria Rosaria Campitiello, Head of the Department of Prevention, Research, and Health Emergencies, has previously said that patients were being given 'lifesaving antidote treatments'.

"It should be noted that the foods at risk of botulinum toxin are homemade preserves prepared vacuum-packed, in oil, or in water, and, rarely, industrial products," she added in a statement.

"This is why it is important to follow the rules for the correct and safe preparation and storage of food."

Following the outbreak, Italy is now on high alert after the Paola Public Prosecutor's Office demanded an 'immediate seizure of a commercial product'.

Calabria Region's Department of Health and Welfare has also issued a statement following the death of Mr Di Sarno last Thursday.

It reads: "The emergency procedure established in these cases has been activated, which requires immediate notification to the Poison Control Center in Pavia, the only national centre designated for the management of botulism.

"No region or hospital in the country is authorised to store the antivenom in their own facilities. This serum, however, is exclusively available to the Ministry of Health, which holds it in designated secure locations and distributes it only through the Lombardy Poison Control Centre.

"The first two vials, used for the first patients, were sent directly from the Military Pharmacy in Taranto. However, as the number of cases increased, additional supplies became necessary.

"Yesterday, the Calabria Region, through Azienda Zero, provided a 118 aircraft that flew to the San Camillo Hospital in Rome, where the ministry had centralised additional vials of the antivenom to facilitate distribution."