Mayo's first case of botulism in over 20 years is being treated in Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar. A Polish national is in the hospital's intensive care unit recovering from the potentially fatal and paralytic illness.
A Health Service Executive spokeswoman declined, however, to confirm the precise nature of the man's illness. She did confirm that a Polish man, who was in a coma, is now in a stable condition in the hospital. It is believed the man became ill after eating a home-cooked meal sent by his wife from Poland.
It seems the hospital pharmacy did not hold a supply of the anti-toxin for botulism. However, Westport pharmaceutical company Allergan was able to provide a solution to the life-threatening situation.
Managing director Pat O'Donnell confirmed his company was able to provide the anti-toxin. "We use a very diluted form of botulinum toxin in the production of botox, and because of that we hold small quantities of the anti-toxin for health and safety reasons."
A Garda spokesman said Westport Garda station was contacted on September 9th about a Polish man living in the town who had been admitted to Mayo General Hospital on the previous day in a critical condition.
"A doctor requested that we go to the man's home and remove some food boxes from the fridge for analysis in the hospital's laboratory," said the garda.
He said gardaí were at no time informed of the nature of the illness. They had assumed it was a case of food poisoning.
Botulism is a rare illness caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
Its last reported case in Ireland was in 2002 and involved heroin addicts in Dublin whose needle wounds became infected with the toxin. Botulism can also be contracted by eating contaminated tinned food.
Mayo's principal environmental health officer, Cathal Kearney, declined to comment on the specific case.
However, he said in 28 years working in environmental health he had not heard of a food-related case in Mayo.
"We have no concerns about food available to the public currently or in the recent past. There is a rapid alert system in place for any potential risk to the public from contaminated food."