Second bacterium found in Louisiana mass food poisoning

The Town Talk reports 125 cases of a gastrointestinal illness were confirmed with 37 people hospitalized after eating chicken and sausage jambalaya at a softball team’s fundraiser. (Photo by NIAID/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

COLUMBIA, La. – Louisiana health officials say a second bacterium apparently contributed to the mass food poisoning that may have killed one person and apparently sickened more than 100 people who ate at a fundraiser.

Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Parham Jaberi says in addition to the salmonella already found in stool samples, a bacterium commonly found on raw meat and poultry also has been identified. Jaberi says the bacterium, when ingested, releases a toxin that makes people sick. It presents many of the same symptoms as salmonella.

As of Friday, The Town Talk reports 125 cases of a gastrointestinal illness were confirmed with 37 people hospitalized after eating chicken and sausage jambalaya at a softball team’s fundraiser.

More testing is expected, but health officials don’t anticipate any new findings.