RSSDigestive Diseases Food Poisoning , more than 250 different diseases can cause food poisoning
Digestive Diseases Food Poisoning is a common, yet distressing and sometimes life-threatening problem for millions of people in the U.S., and throughout the world. People infected with food borne organisms may be symptom-free or may have symptoms ranging from mild intestinal discomfort to severe dehydration and bloody diarrhea. Depending on the type of infection, people can even die as a result of food poisoning.
More than 250 different diseases can cause food poisoning. The most common diseases are infections caused by bacteria, such as campylobacter, salmonella, shigella, E. coli, listeria and botulism.
Campylobacter is a bacterium that causes chronic diarrhea. Transmission usually occurs through ingestion of contaminated food, water or unpasteurized milk or through contact with infected infants, pets or wild animals.
Symptoms include:
It can be. In rare cases, campylobacter infection can cause intestinal bleeding, pancreatitis, arthritis or brain and nerve problems such as meningitis or seizures. Occasionally, these problems occur after the diarrhea has stopped.
If you think you may have been exposed to the infection, see your doctor. By testing a sample of your stool, the bacteria can be identified.
If you are found to have the infection, you will likely recover on your own without treatment within 2-5 days. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent becoming dehydrated.
In more severe cases, antibiotics (Cipro), if given early in the illness, can be used to shorten the length of time you are sick.
Anti-diarrhea medications, such as Imodium, should be avoided.
Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can be passed on to humans from domestic and wild animals, including poultry, pigs, cattle and pets. But most often, it is caused by drinking unpasteurized milk or by eating undercooked poultry and poultry products such as eggs. Any food prepared on surfaces contaminated by raw chicken or turkey can also become tainted with salmonella. Less often, the illness may stem from food contaminated by a food worker.
Salmonella can escape from the intestine and go into the blood and travel to other organs. It may become a chronic infection in some people, who can be symptom-free yet capable of spreading the disease to others.
Salmonella infections occur worldwide, but it is most extensively reported in North America and Europe, where more and more people are becoming infected each year.
Digestive Diseases Food Poisoning Symptoms include acute onset of:
People with salmonella usually recover completely, although it may take several months before bowel habits are entirely normal. A small proportion of people who are infected with salmonella will go on to develop pain in their joints, irritation of the eyes and painful urination, a condition called Reiter’s syndrome. Ordinarily, deaths are uncommon except in those who are very young, elderly or have weakened immune systems.
If you think you may have been exposed to the infection, see your doctor. By testing a sample of your stool, the bacteria can be identified.
Salmonella infections usually go away in 3-5 days and often do not require treatment unless you become severely dehydrated or the infection spreads outside of the intestines. If treatment is needed, antibiotics are prescribed.
Wash your hands with soap after handling reptiles, birds or after contact with pet feces. Avoid contact between reptiles (turtles, iguanas, other lizards and snakes) and infants or people with weakened immune systems.
Shigella is a bacteria generally transmitted through feces. It causes dysentery, an infection of the intestines. The disease generally occurs in tropical or temperate climates, especially under conditions of crowding, where personal hygiene is poor.
Digestive Diseases Food Poisoning Symptoms include:
If you think you may have been exposed to shigella, see your doctor. By testing a sample of your stool, the bacteria can be identified.
People with mild infections usually recover within a few days without special treatment. Drinking fluids to prevent dehydration is usually all that is needed. However, with severe infections, antibiotics and more aggressive treatment to prevent dehydration are often needed.
Bacteria from stools of infected people can be passed from one person to another if hygiene or hand-washing habits are inadequate. This is particularly likely among toddlers who are not toilet trained. To prevent transmitting the infection, you should always wash your hands thoroughly after changing diapers.
E. coli is a growing cause of food borne illness. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 cases of E. coli infection occur in the U.S. every year.
Most E. coli infections have been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. Drinking unpasteurized milk and swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water can also cause infection. Bacteria from stools of infected people can be passed from one person to another if hygiene or hand-washing habits are inadequate. This is particularly likely among toddlers who are not toilet trained. Young children typically shed the organism in their feces for a week or two after their illness resolves.
Symptoms can include: Severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps but sometimes the infection causes non-bloody diarrhea, a slight fever or no symptoms at all.
Yes. In some people, particularly children under age 5 and the elderly, the infection can cause a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. About 2%-7% of infections lead to this complication.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a life-threatening condition usually treated in an intensive care unit. Blood transfusions and kidney dialysis are often required.
If you think you may have been exposed to the infection, see your doctor. By testing a sample of your stool, the bacteria can be identified. All persons who have sudden diarrhea with blood should get their stool tested for E. coli.
Most people recover without antibiotics or other specific treatment in 5-10 days. Anti-diarrhea medications, such as Imodium, should also be avoided.
You can prevent E. coli infection by thoroughly cooking ground beef, avoiding unpasteurized milk and washing your hands carefully after handling meat or using the bathroom.
Listeria is a bacteria primarily found in soil and water. Vegetables can become contaminated from soil or from manure used as fertilizer. Animals can carry the bacterium without appearing ill and can contaminate food. The bacterium has been found in a variety of uncooked foods, such as meats and vegetables, as well as in processed foods that become contaminated after processing, such as soft cheeses and cold cuts.
Unpasteurized milk or foods made from unpasteurized milk may contain the bacterium. Listeria is killed by pasteurization and heating procedures used to prepare ready-to-eat processed meats should be sufficient to kill the bacterium. However, unless good manufacturing practices are followed, contamination can occur even after processing.
In the U.S., an estimated 1,100 people become seriously ill from a listeria infection each year, and of these 250 will die. Those at increased risk for developing listeriosis include:
Digestive Diseases Food Poisoning Symptoms can include:
A blood or spinal fluid test will show if you have listeriosis. During pregnancy, a blood test is the most reliable way to find out if you are infected.
When infection occurs during pregnancy, antibiotics given promptly to the pregnant woman can often prevent infection of the fetus or newborn. Babies with the infection receive the same antibiotics as adults.
Even with prompt treatment, some infections result in death. In the elderly and people with other serious medical problems, these infections are more likely to be fatal.
Botulism is a rare but serious food borne disease caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
There are three main types of botulism: food borne, wound and infant. Food borne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin. Wound botulism, which is very rare, is caused by a toxin produced from a wound infected with C. botulinum. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of botulinum bacteria, which grow in a child’s intestines.
All forms of botulism can be deadly and are considered medical emergencies.
Symptoms include:
Diagnosis is made by the presence of appropriate symptoms of nerve weakness and by laboratory tests that detect the toxin or by culture of C. botulinum from the person’s stool.
The respiratory failure (inability to breathe) and paralysis that occur with severe botulism may require intensive medical and nursing care in a hospital. After several weeks the paralysis slowly improves.
If diagnosed in its early stages, food borne botulism can be treated with an antitoxin that blocks the toxin circulating in the blood. This can prevent the condition from worsening, but recovery will still require a few weeks of rest and observation.
Your doctor may also try to remove any contaminated food left in the digestive system by inducing vomiting or by using enemas.
Infants infected with the bacteria require hospitalization and possibly care in an intensive care unit. The botulism antitoxin is not recommended for infants.
Although there are very few cases of botulism poisoning each year, prevention is extremely important. Food borne botulism has often been linked to home-canned foods with low acid content, such as asparagus, green beans, beets and corn. People have also become infected from more unusual sources such as chopped garlic in oil, chili peppers, tomatoes, improperly handled baked potatoes cooked in aluminum foil and home canned or fermented fish (such as sardines).
Persons who can food at home should follow strict hygienic procedures to reduce contamination of foods. Because the botulism toxin is destroyed by high temperatures, persons who eat home-canned food should boil the food for 10 minutes to ensure safety. Instructions on safe home-canning can be obtained from county extension services or from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Oils infused with garlic or herbs should be kept refrigerated. Potatoes that have been wrapped in aluminum foil while baking should be kept hot until they are served or refrigerated.
Because honey can contain spores of C. botulinum, which has been a source of infection for infants, children less than 12 months old should not be fed honey. Honey is safe for persons 1 year of age and older.
More than 250 different diseases can cause food poisoning. The most common diseases are infections caused by bacteria, such as campylobacter, salmonella, shigella, E. coli, listeria and botulism.
What Is Campylobacter Infection?
Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea (sometimes bloody)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Malaise (general uneasiness)
- Fever that usually starts 24 to 72 hours after ingestion
Is CampylobacterInfection a Serious Health Concern?
It can be. In rare cases, campylobacter infection can cause intestinal bleeding, pancreatitis, arthritis or brain and nerve problems such as meningitis or seizures. Occasionally, these problems occur after the diarrhea has stopped.
How Is Campylobacter Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
If you think you may have been exposed to the infection, see your doctor. By testing a sample of your stool, the bacteria can be identified.
If you are found to have the infection, you will likely recover on your own without treatment within 2-5 days. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent becoming dehydrated.
In more severe cases, antibiotics (Cipro), if given early in the illness, can be used to shorten the length of time you are sick.
Anti-diarrhea medications, such as Imodium, should be avoided.
What Is Salmonella?
Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can be passed on to humans from domestic and wild animals, including poultry, pigs, cattle and pets. But most often, it is caused by drinking unpasteurized milk or by eating undercooked poultry and poultry products such as eggs. Any food prepared on surfaces contaminated by raw chicken or turkey can also become tainted with salmonella. Less often, the illness may stem from food contaminated by a food worker.
Salmonella can escape from the intestine and go into the blood and travel to other organs. It may become a chronic infection in some people, who can be symptom-free yet capable of spreading the disease to others.
Salmonella infections occur worldwide, but it is most extensively reported in North America and Europe, where more and more people are becoming infected each year.
Digestive Diseases Food Poisoning Symptoms include acute onset of:
- Headache
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting (sometimes)
Can Salmonella Infection Cause Serious Health Problems?
People with salmonella usually recover completely, although it may take several months before bowel habits are entirely normal. A small proportion of people who are infected with salmonella will go on to develop pain in their joints, irritation of the eyes and painful urination, a condition called Reiter’s syndrome. Ordinarily, deaths are uncommon except in those who are very young, elderly or have weakened immune systems.
How Is Salmonella Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
If you think you may have been exposed to the infection, see your doctor. By testing a sample of your stool, the bacteria can be identified.
Salmonella infections usually go away in 3-5 days and often do not require treatment unless you become severely dehydrated or the infection spreads outside of the intestines. If treatment is needed, antibiotics are prescribed.
How Can I Prevent Getting Salmonella?
Wash your hands with soap after handling reptiles, birds or after contact with pet feces. Avoid contact between reptiles (turtles, iguanas, other lizards and snakes) and infants or people with weakened immune systems.
What Is Shigella?
Shigella is a bacteria generally transmitted through feces. It causes dysentery, an infection of the intestines. The disease generally occurs in tropical or temperate climates, especially under conditions of crowding, where personal hygiene is poor.
Digestive Diseases Food Poisoning Symptoms include:
- Bloody diarrhea
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Cramps
How Is Shigella Diagnosed and Treated?
If you think you may have been exposed to shigella, see your doctor. By testing a sample of your stool, the bacteria can be identified.
People with mild infections usually recover within a few days without special treatment. Drinking fluids to prevent dehydration is usually all that is needed. However, with severe infections, antibiotics and more aggressive treatment to prevent dehydration are often needed.
How Can Shigella Infection Be Prevented?
Bacteria from stools of infected people can be passed from one person to another if hygiene or hand-washing habits are inadequate. This is particularly likely among toddlers who are not toilet trained. To prevent transmitting the infection, you should always wash your hands thoroughly after changing diapers.
What Is E. Coli?
E. coli is a growing cause of food borne illness. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 cases of E. coli infection occur in the U.S. every year.
Most E. coli infections have been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. Drinking unpasteurized milk and swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water can also cause infection. Bacteria from stools of infected people can be passed from one person to another if hygiene or hand-washing habits are inadequate. This is particularly likely among toddlers who are not toilet trained. Young children typically shed the organism in their feces for a week or two after their illness resolves.
Symptoms can include: Severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps but sometimes the infection causes non-bloody diarrhea, a slight fever or no symptoms at all.
Can E. Coli Infection Cause Serious Health Problems?
Yes. In some people, particularly children under age 5 and the elderly, the infection can cause a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys fail. About 2%-7% of infections lead to this complication.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a life-threatening condition usually treated in an intensive care unit. Blood transfusions and kidney dialysis are often required.
How Is E. Coli Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
If you think you may have been exposed to the infection, see your doctor. By testing a sample of your stool, the bacteria can be identified. All persons who have sudden diarrhea with blood should get their stool tested for E. coli.
Most people recover without antibiotics or other specific treatment in 5-10 days. Anti-diarrhea medications, such as Imodium, should also be avoided.
How Is E. Coli Infection Prevented?
You can prevent E. coli infection by thoroughly cooking ground beef, avoiding unpasteurized milk and washing your hands carefully after handling meat or using the bathroom.
What Is Listeria Infection?
Listeria is a bacteria primarily found in soil and water. Vegetables can become contaminated from soil or from manure used as fertilizer. Animals can carry the bacterium without appearing ill and can contaminate food. The bacterium has been found in a variety of uncooked foods, such as meats and vegetables, as well as in processed foods that become contaminated after processing, such as soft cheeses and cold cuts.
Unpasteurized milk or foods made from unpasteurized milk may contain the bacterium. Listeria is killed by pasteurization and heating procedures used to prepare ready-to-eat processed meats should be sufficient to kill the bacterium. However, unless good manufacturing practices are followed, contamination can occur even after processing.
In the U.S., an estimated 1,100 people become seriously ill from a listeria infection each year, and of these 250 will die. Those at increased risk for developing listeriosis include:
- Pregnant women. They are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis
- People with weakened immune systems
- People with cancer, diabetes or kidney disease
- People with AIDS
- People who take glucocorticosteroid medications such as those with asthma
- The elderly
Digestive Diseases Food Poisoning Symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Convulsions
How Is Listeria Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
A blood or spinal fluid test will show if you have listeriosis. During pregnancy, a blood test is the most reliable way to find out if you are infected.
When infection occurs during pregnancy, antibiotics given promptly to the pregnant woman can often prevent infection of the fetus or newborn. Babies with the infection receive the same antibiotics as adults.
Even with prompt treatment, some infections result in death. In the elderly and people with other serious medical problems, these infections are more likely to be fatal.
What Is Botulism?
Botulism is a rare but serious food borne disease caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
There are three main types of botulism: food borne, wound and infant. Food borne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin. Wound botulism, which is very rare, is caused by a toxin produced from a wound infected with C. botulinum. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of botulinum bacteria, which grow in a child’s intestines.
All forms of botulism can be deadly and are considered medical emergencies.
Symptoms include:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Droopy eyelids
- Slowed or slurred speech
- Difficulty swallowing
- Dry mouth
- Muscle weakness
- Poor feeding habits
- Constipation
- Weak crying
- Lethargy
- Poor muscle tone
How Is Botulism Diagnosed and Treated?
Diagnosis is made by the presence of appropriate symptoms of nerve weakness and by laboratory tests that detect the toxin or by culture of C. botulinum from the person’s stool.
The respiratory failure (inability to breathe) and paralysis that occur with severe botulism may require intensive medical and nursing care in a hospital. After several weeks the paralysis slowly improves.
If diagnosed in its early stages, food borne botulism can be treated with an antitoxin that blocks the toxin circulating in the blood. This can prevent the condition from worsening, but recovery will still require a few weeks of rest and observation.
Your doctor may also try to remove any contaminated food left in the digestive system by inducing vomiting or by using enemas.
Infants infected with the bacteria require hospitalization and possibly care in an intensive care unit. The botulism antitoxin is not recommended for infants.
How Can Botulism Be Prevented?
Although there are very few cases of botulism poisoning each year, prevention is extremely important. Food borne botulism has often been linked to home-canned foods with low acid content, such as asparagus, green beans, beets and corn. People have also become infected from more unusual sources such as chopped garlic in oil, chili peppers, tomatoes, improperly handled baked potatoes cooked in aluminum foil and home canned or fermented fish (such as sardines).
Persons who can food at home should follow strict hygienic procedures to reduce contamination of foods. Because the botulism toxin is destroyed by high temperatures, persons who eat home-canned food should boil the food for 10 minutes to ensure safety. Instructions on safe home-canning can be obtained from county extension services or from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Oils infused with garlic or herbs should be kept refrigerated. Potatoes that have been wrapped in aluminum foil while baking should be kept hot until they are served or refrigerated.
Because honey can contain spores of C. botulinum, which has been a source of infection for infants, children less than 12 months old should not be fed honey. Honey is safe for persons 1 year of age and older.
: Digestive Diseases Food Poisoning, more than 250 different diseases can cause food poisoning. The most common diseases are infections caused by bacteria, such as campylobacter, salmonella, shigella, E. coli, listeria and botulism.
