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Introduction:

Food Poisoning is a common, yet distressing and sometimes life threatening problem for millions of people throughout the world. Depending
on the type of infection, people can even die as a result of food poisoning.

More than 250 different microorganism can cause Food Poisoning. Some of the most common diseases or infections are caused by bacteria, such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Listeria, Clostridium botulinum, and Norovirus.

Food poisoning, also called food borne illness, is illness caused by eating contaminated food.

Infectious organisms — including bacteria, viruses and parasites — or their toxins are the most common causes of food.

Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food at any point of processing or production. Contamination can also occur at home if food is incorrectly handled or cooked.

Food poisoning symptoms, which can start within hours of eating contaminated food, often include nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Most often, food poisoning is mild and resolves without treatment. But some people need to go to the hospital.

Foods that can cause Food Poisoning:

Some foods are more associated with foodborne illnesses and food poisoning than others. They can carry harmful germs that can make you very sick if the food is contaminated.

• Raw foods of animal origin are the most likely to be contaminated, specifically raw or undercooked meat and poultry, raw or lightly cooked eggs, unpasteurized (raw) milk, and raw shellfish.
• Fruits and vegetables also may get contaminated.
• While certain foods are more likely to make you sick, any food can get contaminated in the field, during processing, or during other stages in the food production chain, including through cross-contamination with raw meat in kitchens.

Serious Health Problems and Long-Term Effects from Food Poisoning:

Most people have only mild illnesses, lasting a few hours to several days. However, some people need to be hospitalized, and some illnesses cause long-term health problems or even death. Infections spread by food can lead to:

• Chronic arthritis
• Brain and nerve damage
• Kidney failure caused by hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)

Symptoms and Sources of Common Food Poisoning Germs:

Some germs make you sick within a few hours after you swallow them. Others may take a few days to make you sick. This list provides the symptoms, when symptoms begin, and common food sources for germs that cause food poisoning. The germs are listed in order of how quickly symptoms begin.

Staphylococcus aureus (Staph)

• Symptoms begin 30 minutes to 8 hours after exposure: Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps. Most people also have diarrhea.
• Common food sources: Foods that are not cooked after handling, such as sliced meats, puddings, pastries, and sandwiches

Vibrio

• Symptoms begin 2 to 48 hours after exposure: Watery diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, chills
• Common food sources: Raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters

Clostridium perfringens

• Symptoms begin 6 to 24 hours after exposure: Diarrhea, stomach cramps. Usually begins suddenly and lasts for less than 24 hours. Vomiting and fever are not common.
• Common food sources: Beef or poultry, especially large roasts; gravies; dried or precooked foods

Salmonella

• Symptoms begin 6 hours to 6 days after exposure: Diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, vomiting
• Common food sources: Raw or undercooked chicken, turkey, and meat; eggs; unpasteurized (raw) milk and juice; raw fruits and vegetables
• Other sources: Many animals, including backyard poultry, reptiles and amphibians, and rodents (pocket pets)

Norovirus

• Symptoms begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure: Diarrhea, nausea/stomach pain, vomiting
• Common food sources: Leafy greens, fresh fruits, shellfish (such as oysters), or unsafe water
• Other sources: Infected person; touching surfaces that have the virus on them

Clostridium botulinum (Botulism)

• Symptoms begin 18 to 36 hours after exposure: Double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech. Difficulty swallowing and breathing, dry mouth. Muscle weakness and paralysis. Symptoms start in the head and move down as the illness gets worse.
•  Common food sources: Improperly canned or fermented foods, usually homemade. Prison-made illicit alcohol (pruno).

Campylobacter

• Symptoms begin 2 to 5 days after exposure: Diarrhea (often bloody), stomach cramps/pain, fever
• Common food sources: Raw or undercooked poultry, raw (unpasteurized) milk, and contaminated water

1. coli (Escherichia coli)

• Symptoms begin 3 to 4 days after exposure: Severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Around 5­­–10% of people diagnosed with E. coli develop a life-threatening health problem.
• Common food sources: Raw or undercooked ground beef, raw (unpasteurized) milk and juice, raw vegetables (such as lettuce), raw sprouts, unsafe water

Cyclospora

• Symptoms begin 1 week after exposure: Watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Stomach cramps/pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue.
• Common food sources: Raw fruits or vegetables and herbs

Listeria

• Symptoms begin 1 to 4 weeks after exposure: Pregnant women usually have a fever and other flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and muscle aches. Infections during pregnancy can lead to serious illness or even death in newborns. Other people (most often older adults): headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions in addition to fever and muscle aches.
• Common food sources: Queso fresco and other soft cheeses, raw sprouts, melons, hot dogs, pâtés, deli meats, smoked seafood, and raw (unpasteurized) milk

People With a Higher Risk of Food Poisoning:

Anyone can get food poisoning, but certain groups of people are more likely to get sick and to have a more serious illness. Their bodies’ ability to fight germs and sickness is not as effective for a variety of reasons. These groups of people are:

Adults Aged 65 and Older have a higher risk because as people age, their immune systems and organs don’t recognize and get rid of harmful germs as well as they once did. Nearly half of people aged 65 and older who have a lab-confirmed foodborne illness from Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria or E. coli are hospitalized.

Children Younger Than 5 Years have immune systems that are still developing, so their body’s ability to fight germs and sickness isn’t as strong. Food poisoning can be particularly dangerous for them because illness can lead to diarrhea and dehydration. Children younger than 5 are three times more likely to be hospitalized if they get a Salmonella infection. And kidney failure strikes 1 out of 7 children under age 5 who are diagnosed with E. coli infection.

People with Weakened Immune Systems due to diabetes, liver or kidney disease, alcoholism, and HIV/AIDS; or receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy cannot fight germs and sickness as effectively. For example, people on dialysis are 50 times more likely to get a Listeria infection.

Pregnant Women are more likely than other people to get sick from certain germs. For example, pregnant women are 10 times more likely to get a Listeria infection.

How to treat foodborne diseases:

There are many different kinds of foodborne diseases and they may require different treatments, depending on the symptoms they cause. Illnesses that are primarily diarrhea or vomiting can lead to dehydration if the person loses more body fluids and salts (electrolytes) than they take in.

• Replacing the lost fluids and electrolytes and keeping up with fluid intake are important.
• If diarrhea is severe, drink oral rehydration solution such as Ceralyte, Pedialyte or Oralyte to replace the fluid losses and prevent dehydration. Sports drinks such as Gatorade* do not replace the losses correctly and should not be used for the treatment of diarrheal illness.
• Preparations of bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., Pepto-Bismol) can reduce the duration and severity of simple diarrhea.
• If diarrhea and cramps occur, without bloody stools or fever, taking an antidiarrheal medication may provide symptomatic relief, but these medications should be avoided if there is high fever or blood in the stools because they may make the illness worse.

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