JACKSON — One of the largest American botulism outbreaks in decades is being blamed on inmate-brewed alcohol that sent 17 federal prisoners to hospitals in the past week.
Health and prison officials said Monday that 15 prisoners from the medium-security section of Federal Correctional Institution Yazoo City remained hospitalized in three Jackson-area hospitals Monday.
The outbreak began last week when prisoners began reporting symptoms from the bacteria, which can result in paralysis or death. It doesn’t spread from person to person, and only people who consume contaminated food such as the hooch are in danger.
One inmate who drank the homebrew in Yazoo City became sick after arriving at the Federal Transfer Facility in Oklahoma City. Two prisoners have been released from hospitals and returned to the prison.
Liz Sharlot, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi State Department of Health, said all the inmates involved had been administered doses of antitoxin, but even with the medicine, people can report symptoms far into the future, including weak muscles, an impaired gag reflex or reflux. Hospitalized people may have to breathe or be fed through tubes because of paralysis.
It’s at least the sixth botulism outbreak from prison hooch since 2004, according to records of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No deaths have been reported. Sharlot said three CDC employees are in Mississippi monitoring the outbreak.
Associate Warden E.K. Carlton wrote in a news release that the prison is monitoring other inmates, because it can take up to 10 days for botulism to develop. Carlton said employees are encouraging prisoners to report if they drank the brew.
Carlson said the Yazoo City prison — with more than 1,300 male inmates — has temporarily ceased moving out any inmates and has suspended family visits. Prison officials declined to comment on how inmates got the ingredients.
Called pruno, hooch or brew, the alcohol is typically made by fermenting fruit and sugar in water. The CDC says other commonly used ingredients include potatoes, corn, bread and rice. Most of the prison outbreaks have been linked to potatoes, which carry botulism spores on their surface. Some prisons have banned sales of sugar or fruit to inmates to discourage illicit alcohol production.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.