Investigations are progressing.
As of April 6, 2020, 50 confirmed cases of hemolytic-uremic syndromes (HUS) and infections with shiga-toxin-producing E. coli bacteria (STEC) linked to the consumption of Buitoni brand Fraîch'Up pizzas have been identified by French Public Health.
48 children and 2 adults were affected.
A massive recall of these pizzas was launched in mid-March.
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Read also“It must never happen again”: parents of hospitalized children organize to file a complaint against Buitoni
The 48 sick children are aged from 1 to 17 years with a median age of 7 years;
20 (42%) are female;
43 (90%) presented with HUS, 5 (10%) with STEC gastroenteritis.
Two children died.
The 2 adults are over 90 years old;
one presented with HUS, the other with STEC gastroenteritis.
These 50 cases occurred in 11 regions of metropolitan France: Hauts-de-France (11 cases), New Aquitaine (8 cases), Pays de la Loire (7 cases), Brittany (6 cases), Ile-de-France ( 6 cases), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (3 cases), Bourgogne Franche-Comté (2 cases), Grand Est (2 cases), Occitanie (2 cases), Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (2 cases) and Center Val-de-Loire (1 case) (figure 2).
A letter sent to families
“
The number of HUS cases linked to the consumption of these pizzas seems to be stabilizing
”, specifies Public Health France.
For 25 other cases of HUS and STEC infections notified to Public Health France, investigations are ongoing.
Read alsoContamination by E.Coli: Fraich'Up pizzas from Buitoni distributed in 23 countries
David, whose two sons, aged 7 and 2 and a half, have both contracted HUS, received a letter from Public Health France on Thursday confirming that these children were indeed contaminated by a Buitoni pizza that they had shared.
“
My eldest son suffered minor kidney damage but he must be followed for five years and he missed classes for more than a month
”, explains this 38-year-old father, who lives in Alsace and who plans to wear the lawsuit.
Read alsoBuitoni pizzas and Kinder chocolates: the worrying series of food recalls
For the moment, an investigation for "
manslaughter
", "
deception
" and "
endangering others
" has been opened, said the Paris prosecutor's office on Friday, requested by AFP.
This investigation, conducted by the public health center of the Paris prosecutor's office, has been open since March 22.
