The sudden dying of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner’s 14-year-old son whereas vacationing in Costa Rica has drawn renewed consideration to a uncommon however lethal well being danger: meals intoxication, also referred to as meals poisoning.
Costa Rican authorities informed ABC Information they believe Miller Gardner died of “doable meals intoxication,” with indicators of asphyxiation linked to a response to one thing he ate.
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Why It Issues
The dying of Miller Gardner comes amid a broader rise within the prevalence of foodborne diseases. In 2024, outbreaks, hospitalizations, and deaths from foodborne pathogens—together with Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli—elevated sharply, with practically 1,400 diseases and 19 deaths reported, up from 1,118 diseases and eight deaths the yr prior, in keeping with the U.S. PIRG Schooling Fund.
Norovirus outbreaks additionally surged in late 2024, with 91 outbreaks reported in a single early December week—one of many highest winter an infection charges in recent times, in keeping with the CDC‘s Nationwide Outbreak Reporting System.
In lower-income international locations, the World Well being Group (WHO) estimates that foodborne diseases trigger 420,000 deaths per yr globally, with kids underneath 5 accounting for practically one-third of these fatalities.
What To Know
Meals poisoning happens when an individual ingests toxins that had been fashioned in meals earlier than it’s eaten. These can embody bacterial toxins from Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum, or Bacillus cereus, in addition to chemical brokers like pesticides or naturally occurring toxins akin to these in sure mushrooms or improperly processed cassava.
In contrast to infections the place pathogens multiply within the physique, intoxications strike rapidly. The CDC lists Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus among the many prime 5 micro organism inflicting foodborne sickness. For deadly outcomes, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Toxoplasma gondii are essentially the most lethal, liable for greater than 70 % of recognized foodborne deaths within the U.S.
Signs vary from vomiting and stomach ache to neurological misery and respiratory failure, relying on the toxin. Loss of life could happen through fast dehydration, poisonous shock, or respiratory collapse tied to an immune response, as is suspected in Gardner’s circumstances.
Miller Gardner, who fell in poor health alongside a number of different members of the family, died in his sleep on March 21. His mother and father stated in an announcement: “We’ve so many questions and so few solutions at this level.”
An post-mortem report has but to verify a reason for dying however consultants say meals intoxication—distinct from meals an infection—is a harmful and infrequently underestimated phenomenon, particularly in areas with variable meals security practices.
What Individuals Are Saying
The U.S. State Division informed ABC: “We’re carefully monitoring native authorities’ investigation into the reason for dying…Out of respect for the privateness of the household and family members throughout this tough time, we have now no additional remark.”
Brett and Jessica Gardner, Miller’s mother and father, stated in an announcement on the New York Yankees X, previously Twitter, account: “Miller was a beloved son and brother and we can not but comprehend our life with out his infectious smile. He beloved soccer, baseball, golf, searching, fishing, his household and his associates. He lived life to the fullest each single day.”
What Occurs Subsequent
Public well being consultants proceed to emphasize prevention. The WHO advises nations to bolster surveillance, implement hygiene requirements throughout meals manufacturing, and educate customers on secure meals practices.
As investigations into Miller Gardner’s dying proceed, officers in Costa Rica haven’t launched specifics on the meals suspected of inflicting the deadly response.
