A man has claimed he was temporarily left unable to walk after consuming a now-recalled sandwich feared to be contaminated with a rare strain of E. coli.
John Daniels, from Macclesfield in Cheshire, said he suffered severe diarrhoea and passed blood two days after consuming the £4.99 chicken and bacon Caesar wrap from Boots in May.
After rushing to hospital the 66 year-old was diagnosed with the bug.
But just five days after being discharged he suddenly experienced severe bouts of dizziness, weakness and could not even walk unaided.
Tests later revealed he was suffering the nerve-damaging condition, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, following his E. coli infection.
John Daniels, from Macclesfield in Cheshire, said he suffered severe diarrhoea and passed blood two days after consuming the £4.99 chicken and bacon Caesar wrap from Boots in May. After rushing to hospital the 66 year-old was diagnosed with the bug
‘Do not eat’ alerts have now been placed on more than 60 products sold in the likes of Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Boots and Sainsbury’s
GBS can cause paralysis in the arms, legs or face and leave patients in crippling pain.
Currently, more than 60 sandwiches, wraps and salads sold in 11 major shops have been slapped with ‘do not eat’ alerts over fears they could contain Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).
Food safety chiefs have said they are ‘confident’ a type of butterhead lettuce, named Apollo, is behind the outbreak of the diarrhoea-causing bug.
Exactly how they became contaminated is yet to be established, however.
Recalling his ordeal, Mr Daniels said: ‘The past month has been nothing short of traumatic.
‘I’ve never been that unwell before so I knew something was very wrong, but to be told I had E.coli and then Guillain-Barre Syndrome was a huge shock.
‘My condition went from bad to worse as I developed complication after complication.
‘I’m still not right physically, and I don’t know if I ever will be, and to hear how many others have been affected is deeply upsetting.
‘I just hope that something is done to stop it happening to anyone else.’
In severe cases, GBS can cause life-threatening problems including breathing difficulties and blood clots. The condition kills around one in 20 people.
Around one in 50,000 Britons and Americans develop GBS every year, usually following an infection when the immune system becomes hyperactive.
The wrap Mr Daniels claimed triggered his infection was recalled last week by manufacturer Greencore Group, who produce 1.7million sandwiches daily making them the world’s largest manufacturer.
At the time a spokesperson for the company said: ‘As a precautionary measure, we have voluntarily recalled a number of sandwiches and wraps due to a potential food safety risk.
‘Greencore adheres to the highest standards of food safety, and we are working closely with the FSA and our suppliers to better understand the possible source of any potential issue.’
Greencore Group today told MailOnline it had nothing further to add.
A spokesperson for Boots said: ‘In response to Greencore’s product recall on June 14 2024, Boots took the precautionary measure of recalling a number of its sandwiches and wraps.
The UK Health Security Agency typically records around 1,500 STEC confirmed infections in a year. Anyone experiencing STEC symptoms is recommended to stay home from work or school until 48 hours after you’ve stopped vomiting of having diarrhoea in order to reduce the risk of spreading the infection to others
‘There have been no positive results of STEC E. coli in any of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) testing of our products.’
It comes as more than 200 Brits are now known to have been struck down with STEC in just over two and a half weeks.
At least 67 people have been admitted to hospital.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said a total of 211 cases have been logged between May 25 and June 11.
Of these, 147 were in England, with 27 in Wales and 35 in Scotland.
Just two cases have been recorded in Northern Ireland though officials say this individual likely caught the bug in England.
Victims include children as young as two, though the majority are young adults.
The UKHSA has said it expected the number of people falling ill to rise further as it carried out more research using genome sequencing to check which E. coli cases were linked.
It typically records around 1,500 STEC confirmed infections in a year.
STEC is considered to be extremely infectious, and in up to 15 per cent of cases, the bug can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure.
Children under the age of five are at the highest risk of HUS.
A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP).
Mr Daniels claimed he has lost around half a stone in weight and is continuing to be monitored by medical teams.
He has also now instructed lawyers to probe the the cause of the E. coli outbreak.
Sarita Sharma, a specialist public health lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: ‘What John has suffered over the past few weeks is very concerning, and he’s understandably upset and distressed at what he’s been through as a result of the E. coli infection.
‘To hear that more than 200 people have also been affected is truly shocking.
‘E.coli is a bacteria which can cause foodborne illness, leading to gastric symptoms and in some cases, such as John’s, it can lead to other serious health conditions.
‘The UKHSA is now investigating and has found that John’s illness is likely to have come from the recalled sandwich.
‘It’s now vital, where applicable, that lessons are learned going forward to keep consumers safe.’
People have been advised to contact NHS 111 or their GP if they or their children show any symptoms of E.coli infection.
For children under five these can include disinterest in breast or bottle feeding and signs of dehydration such as fewer wet nappies.
Both adults and children are advised to call NHS 111 or their GP if they keep vomiting for two days or have diarrhoea for a week.
Anyone suffering bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom should call NHS 111 or their GP immediately.
