An 11-year-old boy in Brazil finds himself hospitalized after indulging his culinary curiosity by eating a fried gecko, resulting in serious health complications that required multiple hospital visits.
Curiosity Turns Costly:
The incident unfolded on November 7 when the boy, staying at his father’s home in Formosa, expressed an interest in eating a lizard. Nearly killing a gecko during play, he approached his stepmother and her mother, proposing the idea of consuming the reptile.
The stepmother agreed to prepare the peculiar dish if he captured more lizards. Returning with four, the boy’s catch was cleaned, seasoned, and fried by the woman.
Unusual Agreement and Health Complications:
The stepmother, influenced by past hardships, mentioned that people ate such animals out of necessity. Police Chief Paulo Santos indicated that charges against the stepmother and her mother were uncertain as the boy wasn’t coerced into eating the gecko.
The boy’s mother, Raquel de Souza, took him to Formosa State Hospital after he experienced headaches, swelling in the tongue, diarrhea, vomiting, and urinating dark liquid.
Compromised Health and Multiple Hospitalizations:
Though initially discharged after three days, the boy’s health deteriorated, leading to two subsequent hospitalizations.
Tests revealed an imbalance in his intestinal flora due to bacterial overload, affecting his eating habits and causing a weight drop from 99 to 95 pounds. Persistent symptoms include headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, fever, and a loss of appetite.
Potential Health Risks and Expert Opinion:
Infectious disease doctor Marcelo Daher highlighted the high risk of acquiring diseases, potential sensitization to the animal’s protein, and the possibility of a serious allergic reaction if the gecko was infected with parasites.
The boy’s well-being remains in jeopardy, emphasizing the need for caution when consuming wild animals.
