Pensioner died of ‘severe’ salmonella after eating duck eggs from country show
A pensioner died after eating four duck eggs bought at a country show in one of the worst cases of salmonella a hospital consultant had seen, an inquest was told.
Niptoon Tavakoli, 65, from Doncaster, died from multi-organ failure caused by salmonella on August 12 2019, two months after he was admitted to hospital.
The retired retail manager bought six eggs from a stall at Messingham Show, in north Lincolnshire, on a day out with his wife, Cheryl, in June 2019, an inquest was told.
Mrs Tavakoli, 63, said her husband ate two of the eggs on toast the day after visiting the show.
"He fried them really well," his wife said. "He didn't like eggs too runny."
Mr Tavakoli decided to have two more eggs two days later, telling his wife: "I really enjoyed those duck eggs, I'm going to have another two."
On the Friday morning, Mrs Tavakoli said she woke to find her husband had been ill in the night and, while she was away at a family bereavement, he called an ambulance.
Paramedics were called to the couple's home in Lindholme, near Doncaster, and gave Mr Tavakoli advice but did not take him to the hospital, the jury heard.
The 65-year-old was admitted to Doncaster Royal Infirmary by paramedics more than a week after attending the show.
"They seemed quite rude to my husband," his wife told Doncaster Coroner's Court. Saying they “treated him like he was a fussy old man who just had diarrhoea and vomiting”.
She added: "But I was worried it was more serious. He was in a lot of pain."
Mrs Tavakoli said her husband's lips and nails turned black while waiting in the emergency department.
Dr Jon Maskill, his intensive care specialist, said he was seriously ill by the time he was admitted.
"This severity of salmonella, in my experience, is unusual," he said.
"It's not something you see a lot of. I've been doing intensive care for 27 years. He's only the second person I've come across with this degree of salmonella."
Dr Maskill said antibiotics were used to treat the illness but it was clear it was still in parts of Mr Tavakoli's body, despite the medication.
The consultant, who has worked in intensive care for 27 years, said there was no prospect of Mr Tavakoli surviving surgery.
Mrs Tavakoli said she took the remaining two duck eggs to the hospital for analysis and then scrubbed her home.
She said she "felt like they were ticking time bombs in my house".
Mrs Tavakoli said her husband had worked in retail management and catering before retiring three years ago.
"I'd never seen him so fit as he was," she said. "He was happy. He was enjoying life and waiting for me to join him in his retirement. Lots of plans."
The inquest is expected to last for five days.
