100 U.S. soldiers suffer food poisoning in Afghanistan

BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- Turkey stuffing from a Thanksgiving meal may have caused more than 100 soldiers to fall ill with food poisoning at a U.S. base in Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Saturday.

Seventy-nine U.S. soldiers, 25 Romanians and some soldiers from other countries suffered nausea, diarrhea and vomiting beginning Thursday night at the base near the southeastern city of Kandahar, said Master Sgt. Kelly Tyler, a spokeswoman at Bagram Air Base, the headquarters of the U.S.-led military operation in Afghanistan.

The source of the illness was under investigation, though one medical official at Bagram said turkey stuffing from the Thanksgiving Day holiday meal was suspected.

No soldiers were hospitalized, and most were ill for no more than 24 hours.

"There is no reason to suspect any malicious intent," Tyler said.

Sanitation officials were inspecting the kitchen facilities where the meal was prepared.

At Kandahar, where about 4,000 U.S. and coalition troops are based, American and Romanian military cooks prepare the meals. About 400 Romanian troops are based at Kandahar.

At Bagram, the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan, private contractors cook the food.