Food Borne Illness (Food Poisoning)

Outbreaks of food poisoning and food borne illness have become rather common in these modern times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year over 76 million – or one out of every four Americans are sickened as a result of consuming contaminated foods or beverages. Some become seriously ill; more than 325,000 require hospitalization and over 5,000 die each year. Older adults, young children, and those who have weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable. Otherwise healthy individuals are also at risk if the contamination is severe or especially pathogenic. In a nutshell, anyone who eats contaminated food is at risk of serious illness and even death in a severe case of food poisoning.

More than 250 different food borne diseases have been identified to date – not inclusive of chemical agents. Most of these diseases are infections caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Of course, foods that are contaminated with poisonous chemicals or harmful substances can also cause serious illness. Symptoms of food borne illness vary by disease but with bacterial or viral infections the most common are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea – usually of unusual severity. Food poisoning with a toxic chemical will usually show severe symptoms very quickly, as will food allergies. Immediate medical attention is called for in each of these cases.

I had some of the symptoms described. Did I have a food borne illness?

Quite possibly… If your symptoms occur suddenly you might have a foodborne illness. Scientists estimate that as much as 35% of all diarrhea experienced is caused by a food borne pathogen. Diarrhea that is caused by food poisoning usually lasts one week or less. Not all food borne pathogens incubate as quickly as others, so if symptoms appear days later, it does not rule out food poisoning. Different microbes have different incubation periods. The incubation period refers to the time between ingestion and onset of symptoms.

Incubation Periods of the Most Common Food borne Pathogens

How can I find out if I am sick because of something I ate or drank?

Severe symptoms usually result in a trip to the emergency room or to a physician. Food borne infections are usually diagnosed by laboratory tests that identify the organism. Bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter are found by microbiologic testing of the ill person’s stool. Parasites can be identified by examining stool specimens under the microscope. Laboratory testing to detect viruses requires stool specimens or serum derived from blood samples. Many food borne infections are not detected through routine laboratory procedures and health care providers must order appropriate testing before the cause can be identified. If you go to a hospital or see a physician and you suspect food poisoning, ask the doctor to test specifically for the more common pathogens.

Should I see a doctor if I think I have a food borne illness?

A person with symptoms of a food borne illness should seek prompt medical attention, especially if there is blood in the stools, if they are experiencing prolonged vomiting or show signs of dehydration, if diarrhea last 3 days or more or you notice unusual changes in your stool including increased mucus or an unusual dark color (especially if it is black, which is highly indicative of bleeding in the intestinal tract) especially black tarry stools. Anyone at risk for serious consequences – the very young, the very old, or those with immune impairment – should consult a health care provider if symptoms do not improve after 24 hours. In addition, those with severe symptoms regardless of their age or health should immediately go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. This can be especially critical if there are any signs of difficulty breathing, thready pulse, severe sweating, fever or swelling, dizziness or fainting. It is also important to eliminate any cardiovascular issues or the possibility of allergy with resulting anaphylactic shock – both of which are also life threatening.

What else should I do?

If you suspect you have a food borne illness contact your local health department or if symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. They will ask you questions about your symptoms, when they started, and what you have eaten for several days prior to symptom onset, and where you ate. Because some of the organisms that cause illness can be spread by ways other than food, they will ask you about other potential sources such as contact with others with similar symptoms or exposure to animals. This distinction is important so that public health authorities can if necessary; take appropriate steps to stop others from becoming ill. They will close restaurants, food processing plants and other food sources in order to contain an outbreak if necessary.

If you know others who have similar symptoms, urge them to contact the health department, and to fill out the form below. Oftentimes, information compiled from a group of individuals provides clues to the source of illness that can be missed when only one person reports to the health department.

If you suspect that your illness is food related, keep any left over food for possible testing if you took some home. If laboratory tests show the food was contaminated, you will have powerful evidence that the food is the likely cause of your illness. The health department will advise you about any laboratory tests that should be conducted and how long food should be kept. Similarly, keep retail or restaurant receipts showing that you purchased the suspected food. Receipts often contain valuable pieces of information about a food product that the consumer does not know or cannot recall.

Common myths of food borne illness

As you attempt to determine if you have a food borne illness and what the potential source could be, avoid these common misperceptions.

The last thing I ate is what made me sick.

Not necessarily. Referring to the table that shows how long it takes for certain microbes to grow inside your body and cause illness, you see this is not always the case. Write down what you ate, where you ate, and when you ate in as much detail as possible. Health department investigators will ask you for this information and accurate recall is critical.

If other people ate what I ate and did not become ill, that particular meal could not be the source of my illness.

Not necessarily. It is well documented that the microbes that cause food borne illness are not always uniformly distributed in a food item. Also, people have different immune systems. One person may consume hamburger prepared from a package of ground beef and become seriously ill with E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella while his dining companion consumes ground beef from the same package and remains healthy. Different people react differently to different pathogens and toxins.

Food Poisoning in the News

E. Coli Outbreak The Food and Drug Administration has issued a nationwide warning to consumers against eating certain pre packaged Dole salad products. Classic Romaine, American Blend, and Greener Selection salad products have been associated with an outbreak of E. coli. Dole Food Company has issued a recall for the implicated salad products. To date there have been eleven reports of E. coli O157 in Minnesota; two out of these eleven cases have been hospitalized.

Symptoms of an E. coli O157:H7 infection often includes abdominal cramps and bloody stools that can last five to ten days. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, in some persons, particularly children under five years of age and the elderly, the infection may cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which can lead to serious kidney damage and even death. (Oct-06-05) [FDA]

A food writer's child falls victim to salmonellosis and learns first hand what it is like to deal with a serious food borne illness. (Jun-05-05) [WASHINGTON POST]

A West Virginia woman is suing Florida company Orchid Island Juice after becoming sick from drinking unpasteurized orange juice contaminated with salmonella. (Jul-21-05) [DETROIT FREE PRESS]

[MORE INFO ON UNPASTEURIZED ORANGE JUICE SALMONELLA TYPHINURIUM OUTBREAK]

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