Food Poisoning
By Faozat Aragbaye
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Food poisoning (also known as food-borne illness) occurs when there is ingestion of food or drink that contains harmful germs (bacteria, viruses, or parasites). Sometimes these germs produce toxins which are harmful to the body.
Causes of food poisoning
Bacteria, Viruses and Parasites- Bacteria, viruses and parasites are the most common cause of food poisoning. The bacteria and viruses are ; Salmonella; Campylobacter; E.coli; Listeria; Clostridium enteritis,C. botulinum, C.perfringens; Hepatitis A; Giardia lamblia, Rotavirus; Shigella; Staphlococcus aureus; Vibrio vulnificus.
Food can be contaminated at any stage during production, processing and cooking. For instance, food can be contaminated by;
- Poor cooking of food ( particularly meat)
- Poor storage of food
- Contamination of food by an infected person.
- Spread of bacteria between contaminated foods.
- Consumption of food that has passed its “use by” date.
Foods that are susceptible to contamination if not handled, stored or cooked properly include;
- Raw meat and poultry
- Raw eggs
- Raw fish
- Unpasteurised milk
- “Ready- to- eat” foods, such as cooked sliced meats, pre-packed sandwiches , salads etc
Symptoms of food poisoning
Symptoms from most type of food poisoning usually start within 2-6 hours of ingestion of contaminated food or drink. The time can vary it can be shorter
or longer, depending on the cause of food poisoning. Possible symptoms include;
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhoea ( may be bloody )
- Fever and chills
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weakness
- Aching muscles.
- Loss of appetite.
Diagnosis
Detection of large numbers of certain bacteria in suspect food samples and detection of the same bacteria in samples of faeces from affected people confirm the diagnosis of food poisoning.
Treatment of food poisoning
Food poisoning will usually go away on its own, in most cases illness will run its course. The medical intervention when food poisoning become severe include;
- Maintaining good hydration is the first priority when treating food poisoning. Hospitalization may be appropriate if the patient is dehydrated.
- Medications may be prescribed to control the nausea and vomiting.
- Medications to decrease the frequency of diarrhoea
- Except for specific infections, antibiotics are not prescribed.
Complication
Full recovery from the most common type of food poisoning usually occurs within 12 and 48 hours. Serious complications can arise, however, from certain types of food poisoning.
Dehydration is the most common complication. This can occur from any of the cause of food poisoning.
Less common but much serious complications include:
- Respiratory distress (botulism)
- Kidney problems (Shigella, E.coli)
- Bleeding disorders (E.coli and others)
- Arthritis (Yersinia and Salmonella)
- Nervous ststem disorders (Botulism,Campylobacter)
- Death -50% of people with mushroom or certain fish poisoning (like puffer fish) die and 10% with botulism.
Prevention
To prevent food poisoning , the following guidelines should be taken:
- Choose safe raw materials ( example meat, fish etc)
- Keep hands and utensils clean
- Separate raw and cooked food.
- Cook thoroughly and
- Keep food at safe temperature.
