An 18-month-old boy has died in a hospital in Catanzaro, southern Italy, while four other children from the same nursery school in Tropea were hospitalized with symptoms consistent with a bacterial infection. The suspected cause is contamination by Clostridium difficile, a pathogen that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.
The child, identified as Alessio Pio from the village of Zungri, first developed symptoms on July 17 and was initially admitted to a hospital in Vibo Valentia before being transferred to Catanzaro, where he died. The nursery, Family Baby School, was temporarily closed as a precaution and notified parents of gastrointestinal issues among attendees. Three of the four hospitalized children have since been discharged, while one remains in care. On July 24, another child from the same school was transferred to Catanzaro as a precaution after showing similar initial symptoms, though officials said his condition is stable.
The Vibo Valentia prosecutor's office has opened an investigation following a complaint by the boy's parents. The child's medical records have been seized and an autopsy is to be conducted by a team led by Professor Isabella Aquila.