Researchers have found that 10 children who fell ill in the Philippines after eating a type of seed had watched a video on social media appearing to show they were safe to consume.
In September 2023, health officials in Calabarzon received a report of foodborne illness due to tuba-tuba seeds in Talao Talao Village, Lucena City.
Ten patients were identified, ranging from 10 to 12 years old. The onset of symptoms ranged from one to four hours after consumption. Six people were taken to the hospital, although two went home against medical advice before being admitted but all patients recovered after three days. The most common symptom was vomiting with others reporting abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, and headache.
Tuba-tuba is an inedible shrub that grows in tropical and subtropical regions. Its seeds contain toxic compounds such as curcin and curcanoleic acid, which when ingested can cause headaches, dizziness and severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
First such outbreak
According to a study published in the Western Pacific Surveillance and Response journal, following the report of an outbreak, disease surveillance officers and municipal personnel were sent to Talao Talao to carry out an initial investigation.
Personnel from a medical center, local hospital and the provincial epidemiology and surveillance unit in Quezon were interviewed to gather historical data about similar events. During the investigation, data were also collected by interviewing patients and their legal guardians, and records were reviewed from hospitals where patients were treated.
According to a timeline of events, a group of children aged 10 to 12 went to Talao Talao to swim at a private resort. After a few hours and feeling hungry, seven children searched for trees bearing fruit. They found a tuba-tuba tree and, following a video they had seen on social media, harvested and consumed fresh tuba-tuba seeds, with some starting to show symptoms after one hour. They later shared the seeds with three more friends.
Ingesting only one seed was enough to cause symptoms. Four children had at least 10 seeds, one of whom developed hypovolemic shock.
Interviews with local officials revealed that illnesses from tuba-tuba seeds were recorded for the first time in Quezon Province during this outbreak despite the trees being common in the area. Shortly after this incident, other cases were reported in Wakas Village, Quezon Province. In this case, three cousins who were aged 4 ate the skin of the fruit, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea. One child required medical attention.
A wake-up call
No warning signs regarding the dangers of consuming tuba-tuba seeds or fruit were present in the area. Trees were two meters tall, making the fruits easily reachable.
Children consumed tuba-tuba seeds after seeing a video on social media that led them to believe it was safe to do so.
“This finding should be a wake-up call to policymakers to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to filter out dangerous content on social media platforms, especially content that is targeted at children during a period in their lives when they are explorative and impulsive,” said scientists.
“Other strategies that are important to consider include strengthening digital literacy programs in schools and promoting awareness of the dangers of tuba-tuba through health clinics, and school-based and community health education programs.”
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