2015 Outbreak of Botulism at a Church Potluck, Ohio
A deadly botulism outbreak occurred among persons who attended a church potluck held on April 19, 2015 at the Cross Pointe Free Will Baptist Church located in Lancaster, Ohio. At least 80 people attended the post-service meal at the church. Twenty nine outbreak associated cases were identified. Twenty eight people were hospitalized. Two people died.
Testing of foods served at the potluck revealed that the source of the outbreak was potato salad made with home-canned potatoes.
Tags:
clostridium+botulinum, botulism, cross+pointe+free+will+baptist+church, potato salad, home cannedOverview
| Outbreak began: | April 2015 |
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| Affected country: | US |
| States/territories: | OH |
| Pathogen: | Botulism |
| Vehicle(s): | potatoes |
| Location(s): | Church event |
| Brand name(s): | Cross Pointe Free Will Baptist Church |
| Molecular test results: | Not reported |
Health impact
| Total ill: | 29 |
|---|---|
| Number hospitalized: | 28 |
| Number of deaths: | 2 |
Sources & documents
| Outbreak documents | ||
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