Staphylococcal food "poisoning" is caused by a toxin produced by the staph germ. The toxin or poison usually causes symptoms within three hours after ingestion. It is not caused by the growth of the staph germs in the victim and therefore does not require an incubation period in the body as one usually thinks of in an infection. Staph food poisoning is not an infection. It is perfectly possible to get it from both the haddock and the clams if the culprit is the butter or some other ingredient common to both meals. I agree that food "poisoning" is frequently overdiagnosed, but the situation described could have been staph food poisoning. With a large dose of toxin, three hours is not at all out of the ordinary. I have no idea the cause of the symptoms above, but it is helpful for people to understand that an almost immediate onset can occur where staph is concerned.
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