Five from Logan hospitalised after brodifacoum exposure

Five people from the Logan area in Brisbane's south were hospitalised last week after tests detected brodifacoum, a potent rat poison, in their systems, prompting a joint health and police investigation to determine how they were exposed. The patients, who presented to Logan, Princess Alexandra and the Queensland Children’s hospitals between October 12 and 17, are from three separate families and include one child. All are receiving treatment and are expected to recover.

Chief Health Officer Dr Catherine McDougall issued an internal alert asking clinicians to be vigilant for unexplained bleeding symptoms, after laboratory testing identified brodifacoum in the affected patients. Brodifacoum inhibits vitamin K, reducing the blood’s ability to clot and causing symptoms such as bleeding gums, easy bruising, blood in urine or stool, and in severe cases potentially fatal bleeding. Two patients spent several days in hospital; the others received vitamin K treatment and returned home.

Authorities initially investigated reports that contaminated takeaway food might be the source, but ministers and health officials said no link to any specific food outlet has been established. Health...