Food poisoning refers to poisoning that occurs due to
eating foods contaminated with toxins or poisonous substances secreted by some
bacteria. Food poisoning is more common in areas with poor sanitation or living
conditions (often occurs in community feasts, cooked and served under
unhygienic conditions or food stored under such conditions for several hours).
Food poisoning is a common, usually mild, but sometimes
deadly illness. Typical symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping,
and diarrhea that occur suddenly (within 48 hours) after consuming a
contaminated food or drink. Depending on the contaminant, fever and chills,
bloody stools, dehydration, and nervous system damage may follow. These
symptoms may affect one person or a group of people who ate the same thing
(called an outbreak).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
estimates that in the United States, food poisoning causes about 76 million
illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and up to 5,000 deaths each year. One of
the most common bacterial forms of infection, the salmonellae organisms,
account for $1 billion in medical costs and lost work time.
Worldwide, diarrheal illnesses are among the leading
causes of death. Travelers to developing countries often encounter food
poisoning in the form of traveler's diarrhea or "Montezuma’s
revenge." Additionally, there are possible new global threats to the
world's food supply through terrorist actions using food toxins as weapons.
Some
of the most common bacteria are:
•Salmonella (say: sal-meh-nel-uh)
•Listeria (say: lis-teer-ee-uh)
•Campylobacter (say: kam-pe-low-bak-ter)
•E. coli (say: ee kole-eye)
Causes:
Food or water can get contaminated due to its handling by
a person infected with or carrying micro-organisms causing food poisoning.
Improper cleaning and washing of fruits and vegetables, and improper cooking of
food can also cause food poisoning.Infants and elderly people have the greatest
risk for food poisoning. One is also at higher risk if there is a a serious
medical condition, like kidney disease or diabetes, a weakened immune system,
etc.
More than 250 known diseases can be transmitted through
food. The CDC estimates unknown or undiscovered agents cause 81% of all
food-borne illnesses and related hospitalizations. Many cases of food poisoning
are not reported because people suffer mild symptoms and recover quickly. Also,
doctors do not test for a cause in every suspected case because it does not
change the treatment or the outcome.
The known causes of food poisoning can be divided into
two categories: infectious agents and toxic agents. Infectious agents include
viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Toxic agents include poisonous mushrooms,
improperly prepared exotic foods (such as barracuda), or pesticides on fruits
and vegetables.Food usually becomes contaminated from poor sanitation or
preparation. Food handlers who do not wash their hands after using the bathroom
or have infections themselves often cause contamination. Improperly packaged
food stored at the wrong temperature also promotes contamination.
