Food Poisoning

Celestine

Last week we had 5 people arrive at the OPD complaining of vomiting and diarrhea after eating a meal of coco yams.  We later found out that a total of 15 people had eaten the coco yams and all 15 became ill.  2 young boys and 2 elderly women required admission.  3 year old Celestine was the sickest and he had multiple seizures over the next 12 hours.

Dr Eugene visited the Family Compound and was able to secure some of the cooked yams and sent one to the Hospital Laboratory for culture.  Today the Lab reported a heavy growth of E. Coli grew from the yams.  While Dr Eugene was at the Family Compound a neighbor showed up and boldly claimed he was so tough that no yam could make him sick.  Against Eugene’s advice the man snarfed a yam down.  We later heard that about 2 hours later the yam was oozing from both ends of his intestinal tract.

Everyone is doing well now.  We removed Celestine’s IV today and hopefully he will be able to go home tomorrow.