What is Food Poisoning?
Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. In most cases, the food that causes the illness has been contaminated by bacteria or virus.
Food poisoning Causes-
1.Infectious agents
A. E.coli –in
undercooked hamburger,
unpasteurized apple juice
cider
raw milk
contaminated water /ice
vegetables fertilized by cow manure
spread from person to person
B. L. monocytogenes— in
- Cole slaw
- dairy products (mostly soft cheeses)
- cold, processed meats
C. Salmonella spp.- in
- poultry
- Beef
- Eggs
- dairy products
D. Shigella spp.—in
- raw vegetables
- cool, moist foods ( potato, egg salads)
E. S. aureus— in
- salad dressing
- ham
- eggs
- custard filled pastries
- mayonnaise
- potato salad
F. C. jejuni — in
- raw milk
- chicken
G. C. botulinum — in
- improperly home canned foods (honey, corn syrup)
H. C. perfringens— in
- meat
- poultry dishes
- gravies
- foods (cooked for more than 24 hours) not reheated well enough
I. V. cholera—- in
- two shelled shellfish ( mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops)
- raw shellfish
- crustaceans ( lobsters, shrimp, and crabs)
2. Toxic agents.
Poisonous mushrooms (Amanita phalloides)
Improperly prepared exotic foods
Pesticides on fruits and vegetables
3. Contaminated food
Poor sanitation
Poor preparation
Improperly packaged food stored at the wrong temperature
4. Fish poisoning
Scombroid poisoning
Bacteria in dark meat fish ;tuna, bonito,skipjack,mahi-mahi, mackerel
Ciguatera poisoning in tropical fish grouper, surgeon fish, snapper, barracuda, moray eel, shark
Puffer fish poisoning
Organs and flesh of puffer fish
Shellfish poisoning
5. Diseases
Chronic kidney failure
Liver disease
Diabetes
Sickle cell anemia
6. Medication—
Antibiotic
Antihistamine
Steroid medicines
7. Weak immune system
8. Pregnant women
9. Age 65 and above
10. Traveling in contaminated area
Food poisoning Sign & Symptoms–
A. General–
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhea
- Head or muscle aches
- Fever
B. Specific–
A. C.botulinum(botulism)
Weakness
Blurred vision
Sensitivity to light
Double vision
Paralyzed eye nerves
Difficulty speaking and swallowing
Paralysis that spreads downward
Respiratory failure
Death
B. Salmonella, Shigella spp., C. jejuni—
Fever
Chills
Bloody diarrhea
C. E. coli—
hemorrhagic colitis occurring up to 3 days after eating contaminated food
D. Mushroom poisoning—
Stomach upset
Delirium
Vision difficulties
Heart muscle problems
Kidney failure
Death of liver tissue
Death (if left untreated)
E. Fish poisoning—
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Abdominal pain
Dizziness
Headache
F. Ciguatera –
Numbness or tingling around the mouth
Feeling of loose teeth
Impaired touch sensation( hot as cold and cold as hot)
Itching
Muscle and joint pain
Slow heart rate
Low blood pressure
G. Pufferfish poisoning—
Numbness or tingling around the mouth
Trouble coordinating movement
Difficulty swallowing
Excess saliva
Twitching
Loss of ability to talk
Convulsions
Paralysis that spreads upward
Respiratory failure
Death
H. Shellfish poisoning –
Numbness or tingling around the mouth or in the arms and legs
Trouble swallowing
Difficulty speaking
Food Poisoning Tests—
- Vitals Examination
Blood pressure
Pulse
Breathing rate
Temperature.
2. Rectal examination
3. Urine examination
4. X-Ray (abdomen)
5. CT scan
Food Poisoning Treatment–
Replace fluids and electrolytes (such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride).
Stomach lavage/pumping the stomach
Medication
Food Poisoning Complications–
White blood cell problems and kidney problems(shigellosis)
kidney problems and bleeding problems( coli infection)
Respiratory failure (botulism)
Reiter syndrome and inflammation of the heart lining (salmonellosis)
Guillain-Barré syndrome (campylobacteriosis)
Food Poisoning Prevention—
Wash hands and clean any dishes or utensil( preparing and serving food)
Keep juices from meat, poultry, and seafood away from ready to eat foods.
Cook food to proper temperatures.
Promptly refrigerate any food no to be eating right away.
Dispose of diapers carefully
Follow proper canning techniques(if making canned food at home)
Don’t eat wild mushrooms.
When traveling where contamination is more likely, eat only hot, freshly cooked food. Boil water before drinking.
Don’t eat raw vegetables or unpeeled fruit.
Always refrigerate fish.
Don’t eat tropical fish caught during blooms of poison plankton.
Don’t eat shellfish exposed to red tides.