Food Poisoning - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

What Is Food Poisoning?

Food poisoning, otherwise called foodborne illness, is caused by eating food contaminated with infectious organisms (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) or toxins or eating spoiled food. Food can get contaminated at any stage of processing, production, or preparation. The symptoms start within hours of eating food contaminated with toxins. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (watery and loose stool). Mostly, food poisoning is mild and does not require treatment. However, in severe cases, it can cause dehydration and might require hospitalization. It is a common infection, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six people in the United States gets some kind of food poisoning every year.

What Are the Symptoms of Food Poisoning?

Depending on the cause of the infection, a person’s symptoms and the length of the symptoms can vary. As soon as one eats contaminated food, one might start having symptoms anywhere from an hour to 28 days.

The common symptoms of food poisoning are:

• Stomach cramps.

• Diarrhea.

• Nausea.

• Vomiting.

• Loss of appetite.

• Chills.

• Muscle pain.

• Fever.

• Tiredness.

• Headaches.

Get immediate medical help in case of:

• Diarrhea for more than three days.

• 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher fever.

• Difficulty with speaking.

• Vision problems.

• Dry mouth.

• Passing no urine.

• Tingling and numbness in extremities.

• Bloating.

• Seizures (uncontrollable electrical activity in the brain).

• Frequent vomiting.

• Blood in the urine.

What Are the Risk Factors for Food Poisoning?

People who are at a higher risk of developing food poisoning are children, pregnant women, older adults, immunocompromised individuals, and people with diabetes, liver or kidney disease.

What Are the Causes of Food Poisoning?

The common causes of food poisoning and their possible timeline are as follows:

1. Viruses and Bacteria - Viruses are the number one cause of food poisoning followed by bacteria. The most common microorganisms that cause food poisoning are:

• Norovirus - Symptoms appear in 12 to 48 hours.

• Salmonella - Symptoms appear in six hours to six days.

• Clostridium Perfringens - Symptoms appear within six to 24 hours.

• Campylobacter - Symptoms appear within two to five days.

• Staphylococcus Aureus - Symptoms appear in 30 minutes to eight hours.

• Toxoplasma gondii.

• Escherichia coli (E. coli) - Symptoms appear in three to four days, or one to ten days, possibly.

• Listeria Monocytogenes - Symptoms appear in nine to 48 hours.

• Shigella - Symptoms appear within one to two days or a maximum of seven days.

• Rotavirus - Symptoms are visible in 18 to 36 hours.

• Hepatitis A - Symptoms are visible in 15 to 50 days.

2. Toxins - Toxins produced by bacteria, plants, and animals (fish) can cause food poisoning if they are ingested. The common toxins include:

• Bacteria - Enterotoxins, Exotoxins, Neurotoxins.

• Plants - Mushroom toxins, Ricin, Hemlock.

• Animals - Scombroid toxin, Sasitoxin, Tetrodotoxin.

3. Parasites - Some of the parasites that can cause food poisoning are:

• Amoeba.

• Giardia - Symptoms are visible within one to two weeks.

• Trichinella.

4. Chemicals - Chemicals like mercury in drinking water and fish can enter the body and cause food poisoning. Even if chemicals like pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and lead in food, can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

How Is Food Poisoning Diagnosed?

The doctor will diagnose this condition after taking a detailed history of how long one is having symptoms and what food they have eaten. The doctor will also look for signs of dehydration dry mouth.

If needed, the doctor will suggest getting diagnostic tests like a blood test and stool culture to identify the cause of food poisoning. The causative organism is detected in the stool sample sent to the laboratory.

How Is Food Poisoning Treated?

Food poisoning treatment depends on the cause and the severity of the symptoms. Most people get better on their own without any treatment on some days, but for some, it may last longer. The treatment includes:

• Fluid Replacement - Fluids and electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and calcium lost due to vomiting and diarrhea have to be replaced. Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) are commercially available for this purpose. For severe dehydration, fluids through IV (intravenous) have to be administered in the hospital.

• Antibiotics - For infections caused by bacteria, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. Infection caused by bacteria listeria is treated with IV antibiotics. In pregnant women, the infection can affect the baby, so antibiotics have to be given promptly. Antibiotics will not be effective against food poisoning caused by viruses.

• Loperamide and Bismuth Subsalicylate - Can help adults with diarrhea.

Home Remedies:

Usually, food poisoning improves within 48 hours without treatment. To prevent complications like dehydration, try the following:

• Avoid eating for a few hours and give the stomach some time to heal.

• Rest.

• Keep sipping water or ORS to prevent dehydration.

• Start eating nonspicy and low-fat foods.

• Avoid eating dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, and oily food.

• Drink herbal tea.

What to Eat in Case of Food Poisoning?

Foods that one can eat during food poisoning include:

• Bananas.

• Rice.

• Clear soup.

• Boiled vegetables.

• Toast.

• Fruit juices.

• Oats.

What Are the Safety Measures for People at Risk of Food Poisoning?

• Milk and milk products.

• High fatty food.

• Unpasteurized sugary drinks and juices.

• Spicy food.

• Fried foods.

• Alcohol.

• Caffeinated beverages.

• Undercooked or raw poultry, meat, shellfish, and fish.

• Raw eggs or any food containing eggs.

• Raw sprouts.

What Are the Complications of Food Poisoning?

• Dehydration or severe water, mineral, and salt loss.

• Systemic diseases may also occur, such as meningitis (inflammation of the brain), blood clots in the kidneys, sepsis (the body’s extreme response to infection), and bacteria in the bloodstream.

• Pregnancy complications, such as sepsis in newborn babies, stillbirth, miscarriage, and meningitis in newborns.

• Rare complications, such as Guillian-Barre syndrome (attack of the immune system on nerves), arthritis (joint inflammation), breathing difficulties, and irritable bowel syndrome (gastrointestinal disorder).

Can Food Poisoning Be Prevented?

One can reduce the risk of food poisoning by:

• Wash hands frequently and properly.

• Cook meats properly to the right temperature.

• Do not mix raw food with cooked food.

• Refrigerate food that will get spoiled properly.

• Do not eat spoiled or old food.

• Drink pasteurized milk.

• Wash fruits and vegetables properly.

Conclusion:

If the symptoms do not improve within 48 hours, it is best to consult a doctor. Persistent vomiting and diarrhea can result in severe dehydration, which can be life-threatening in infants, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. For more information on food poisoning, consult a medical gastroenterologist.