DOH: Staphylococcus Bacteria Caused Food Poisoning to ADDU Studes

DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) in Davao Region said on Friday that 10 out of 61 Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) students who volunteered for a rectal swab tested positive for staphylococcus bacteria.

Photo by staph-aureus

The 10 students were among the 397 participants who attended the Sui Generis Student Leaders' Summit on July 19 at the AdDU. Of the 397,180 were suspected to have suffered from food poisoning due to contaminated foods served by MTC Rebosura catering.

Staphylococcus Aureus. It is also known as Staph Bacteria

DOH regional director Dr. Abdullah Dumama, speaking in Friday's Kapihan sa PIA, confirmed the presence of a bacteria that caused the food poisoning.

"Napakagandang basehan na yun na pwede na tayong mag-conclude (It's already a good basis to conclude that it was really food poisoning)," he said.

He said the test was done by the Manila-based medical specialists from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) of DOH last week, and the results were issued on Thursday.

Dumama added that even test results conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found the presence of staphylococcus bacteria in the food samples that were taken last week.

In a recent report, Mary Divene Hilario, officer-in-charge of Health Advocacy and Promotions of the DOH-Davao, said the initial findings of the case investigation of the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) last week, had previously shown that the food poisoning incident was mainly caused by food contamination due to unhygienic food handling.

She said the participants demonstrated diarrhea and vomiting, two symptoms of food and waterborne illness or staphylococcal in origin.

Hilario added that the caterer admitted some lapses in the food preparation. MTC Rebosura served pack lunch comprised of chicken adobo with boiled egg, bihon, fish fillet, rice, and fruit salad for lunch.

Photo by ATENEWS

She said foods that were served in a room temperature must be re-heated after four hours. But, the foods served to participants of the student gathering at AdDU were cooked at 4 a.m. and served around 12 noon that day.

Source link from SUNSTAR DAVAO