Salmonella victim taken to hospital three days after first ambulance call

A man who died of salmonella after eating duck eggs bought at a country show would have been diagnosed sooner if he had been taken to hospital by an ambulance crew, an inquest has found.

Niptoon Tavakoli, 65, died in hospital two months after becoming ill in 2019.

An ambulance was first called after he suffered diarrhoea and vomiting but the crew decided to not to take him to hospital, instead giving him advice.

He was eventually taken to hospital by ambulance three days later.

His wife Cheryl told the inquest she called an ambulance again on 10 June as she was very concerned about her husband, fearing he had developed sepsis.

She said he had mottling on his body, and his lips and his nails had turned blue.

The same ambulance crew attended and this time took him to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Tavakoli described how parts of her husband's body had turned black by the time he arrived at the hospital.

The inquest jury found "mandatory policy should have been followed and he should have been transferred straight to hospital" the first time the paramedics were called to the house in Lindholme, near Doncaster.

They also found that an admission on 7 June "would have led to him being treated for sepsis and diagnosed with salmonella sooner".

The jurors added the opportunity to administer antibiotics within the first hour was missed and this contributed to "his prospect of survival".

Mrs Tavakoli described how her husband, who worked in the catering business for many years, bought the eggs from a stall during a family trip to Messingham Show in North Lincolnshire.

She said he ate the four eggs with toast in two separate meals, in each case frying them well.

Intensive care specialist Dr Jon Maskill told the inquest Mr Tavakoli's infection was one of the worst cases he had ever seen.

Mr Tavakoli died two months after being brought into hospital, on 12 August 2019.

Mrs Tavakoli said her husband had been "a caring and fun person who loved spending time with his family and friends".

"That he contracted salmonella even with his knowledge shows that others could fall ill after eating them," she said.

"We just want to try and make people aware as we wouldn't want another family to go through what we have."

The jury concluded Mr Tavakoli died of natural causes.

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