Donated meals sickened hospital staff after Hurricane Harvey

Fifty staff members suffered acute symptoms after eating a meal that included pork sausage, pulled pork, brisket, chicken and yogurt


A donated catered meal is being blamed for a foodborne outbreak of Staphylococcus aureus that sickened dozens of staff members last year at a hospital in Houston after Hurricane Harvey, according to an article on the Healio website.

Fifty staff members — but no patients — suffered acute gastrointestinal symptoms after eating a meal that included pork sausage, pulled pork, brisket, chicken and yogurt.

While experts warned that flooding caused by Harvey could put area residents at a higher risk for infection, exposure to flood water was not associated with the illness.

After health officials were notified about the suspected outbreak, leftover food was secured and samples were taken from the pork sausage, pulled pork, brisket and chicken for testing.

Read the article

 



November 20, 2018


Topic Area: Infection Control


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