Friday, June 30, 2017

Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Symptoms of Food Poisoning
Symptoms of Food Poisoning

What Is Food Poisoning?

Foodborne illness, more commonly referred to as food poisoning, is the result of eating contaminated, spoiled, or toxic food. The most common symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Although it’s quite uncomfortable, food poisoning isn’t unusual. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in six Americans will contract some form of food poisoning every year.
SYMPTOMS

Food Poisoning Symptoms

If you have food poisoning, chances are it won’t go undetected. Symptoms can vary depending on the source of the infection. Common cases of food poisoning will typically include at least three of the following symptoms:
Symptoms of potentially life-threatening food poisoning include:
  • diarrhea persisting for more than three days
  • a fever higher than 101.5°F
  • difficulty seeing or speaking
  • symptoms of severe dehydration, which may include dry mouth, passing little to no urine, and difficulty keeping fluids down
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately.
CAUSES

What Causes Food Poisoning?


Most food poisoning can be traced to one of the following three major causes:

Bacteria

Bacteria is by far the most prevalent cause of food poisoning. When thinking of dangerous bacteria, names like E. coli, listeria and salmonella come to mind for good reason. Salmonella is by far the biggest culprit of serious food poisoning cases in the United States. According to the CDC, an estimated 1,000,000 cases of food poisoning, including nearly 20,000 hospitalizations, can be traced to salmonella annually. Campylobacter and C. botulinum (botulism) are two lesser known and potentially lethal bacteria that can lurk in our food.

Parasites

Food poisoning caused by parasites is not as common as food poisoning caused by bacteria, but parasites spread through food are still very dangerous. Toxoplasma is the most often seen parasite in cases of food poisoning. It’s typically found in cat litter boxes. Parasites can live in your digestive tract undetected for years. However, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women risk serious side effects if parasites take up residence in their intestines.

Viruses

Food poisoning can also be caused by a virus. The Norovirus, also known as the Norwalk virus, causes over 19 million cases of food poisoning each year, and in rare cases, it can be fatal. Sapovirus, Rotavirus, and Astrovirus bring on similar symptoms, but they’re less common. Hepatitis A virus is a serious condition that can be transmitted through food.