Clostridium perfringens in Central Louisiana Hospital Blamed for Food Poisoning Outbreak
Three people are dead in Louisiana from food poisoning known as clostridium perfringens -- a bacterium that state health officials say is to blame for an outbreak at Central Louisiana State Hospital at Pineville.
Dr. David Holcombe, medical director for Region 6 of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals' Office of Public Health, told TheTownTalk.com that an epidemiological study implicated chicken salad as the agent.
The Central food poisoning outbreak killed three and sickened 40 at the state hospital starting on the morning of May 7. Patients and staff were affected. Central Louisiana state hospital provides acute, intermediate, and long-term mental health care, treatment and rehabilitative services to adolescents and adults.
Like most outbreaks of food poisoning, the clostridium perfringens at the Pineville hospital could have been prevented. Holcombe said C. perfringens is a naturally occurring organism that can spread to unsafe levels with improper food storage and handling.
The online newspaper reported that more information is being sought about the three Pineville patients who died. Pending autopsy and toxicology reports will help determine what, if any, other factors caused their illnesses to be fatal.
