title: Large Outbreak of Botulism Associated with a Church Potluck Meal--Ohio, 2015.
abstract: On April 21, 2015, the Fairfield Medical Center (FMC) and Fairfield Department of Health contacted the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) about a patient suspected of having botulism in Fairfield County, Ohio. Botulism is a severe, potentially fatal neuroparalytic illness.* A single case is a public health emergency, because it can signal an outbreak. Within 2 hours of health department notification, four more patients with similar clinical features arrived at FMC's emergency department. Later that afternoon, one patient died of respiratory failure shortly after arriving at the emergency department. All affected persons had eaten at the same widely attended church potluck meal on April 19. CDC's Strategic National Stockpile sent 50 doses of botulinum antitoxin to Ohio. FMC, the Fairfield Department of Health, ODH, and CDC rapidly responded to confirm the diagnosis, identify and treat additional patients, and determine the source.
authors.forename: Carolyn L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: McCarty
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Angelo
authors.forename: Karlyn D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cibulskas-White
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Sietske
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Fijter
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bokanyi
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: St Germain
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baransi
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barlow
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shafer
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spindler
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walz
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DiOrio
authors.forename: Brendan R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luquez
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Mahon
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Basler
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.forename: Almea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matanock
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Kara Jacobs
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Slifka
authors.forename: Agam K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001906:Botulism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D047013:Clostridium botulinum type A / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D012067:Religion; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A