According to news reports, at least 100 people have been sickened in a possible food poisoning outbreak in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana. Samantha Hartmann, press officer for the Louisiana Department of Health, told the News Star about this outbreak.
Preliminary tests have come back positive for Salmonella, but more testing needs to be conducted. An autopsy has been ordered in the death of one man who may be part of the outbreak. Some people have been hospitalized, according to news reports.
The Louisiana Department of Health said that it had been “notified of a possible food-related gastrointestinal disease outbreak.” There is no more information about the outbreak available, or if a restaurant, event, or contaminated food is responsible for the outbreak. The Louisiana Department of Health has no information about the outbreak on its website.
The statement continued, “At this time the LDH is investigating the cause of the illness and working to learn how many people have been impacted. At this time, we are not sure if this virus is contagious or not, but it is a good reminder to stay home if you are ill and practice proper hand hygiene.”
Caldwell Parish is in the northeastern part of the state. It includes the city of Columbia, which is the parish seat, and villages of Clarks and Grayson.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Most people get sick within 12 to 72 hours after exposure to the pathogenic bacteria. And most people do not see a doctor when they get this type of food poisoning, which is why the multiplier for Salmonella outbreaks is set at 38. There could be hundreds more sick who have not been counted.
If you live in that area and have experienced these symptoms, please see your doctor. Salmonella is a reportable illness. That means your doctor will inform public health officials about your illness. In addition, Salmonella infections can have long term health consequences, including high blood pressure, reactive arthritis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Seeing your doctor may also help solve this outbreak. Epidemiologists interview ill persons in outbreak investigations, asking what they ate in the past few days, where they ate it, and where they bought food.
The law firm of Pritzker Hageman helps people sickened by contaminated food protect their legal rights, and get compensation and justice. Our lawyers represent patients and the families of children sickened with bacterial infections in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against retailers, food producers, food processors, restaurants, schools, and others. Attorney Fred Pritzker and his team recently won $7.5 million for young client who suffered kidney failure after developing hemolytic uremic syndrome when she contracted an E. coli infection. Class action lawsuits may not be appropriate for outbreak victims because the cases are very unique.
