What is Food Poisoning By Aishu Anand What

What is Food Poisoning? By: Aishu Anand

What is Food Poisoning? • “Food poisoning occurs when you swallow food or water that contains bacteria, parasites, viruses, or toxins made by these germs. Most cases of food poisoning are from common bacteria such as Staphylococcus or E. coli. ” • Food poisoning is caused when your body receives contaminated food, bacteria's, viruses’, and parasites’ toxins.

Causes • Bacteria infect the intestines, causing inflammation and problems with normal absorption of food and water. • They produce toxins that are poisonous to the human body system. • “When ingested, these chemicals can lead to nausea and vomiting, kidney failure, and even death. ” • Some examples of bacteria are: – Campylobacter – Staphylococcus aureus – Eschericia coli (E. coli) – Shigella – Clostridium botulinum – Clostridium perfringens – Giardia lamblia – Hepatitis A – Listeria – Noroviruses – Rotavirus – Salmonella – Vibrio vulnificus

Transmission • “Campylobacter is the world's most commonly identified food– borne bacterial infection. It is transmitted by water contaminated by animal feces raw poultry, and raw milk. ” • “Staphylococcus aureus is transmitted in foods such as cream–filled cakes and pies, salads (potato, macaroni, egg, and tuna salads, for example) and dairy products. Contaminated potato salad at a picnic is a classic and occurs when the food is not chilled properly. ” • “Hepatitis A can be spread from an infected food handeler working with raw/ready-to-eat produce. ” • “Eschericia coli (E. coli) causes large amounts of watery diarrhea and then turns into bloody diarrhea. There are many different types of this bacterium but the worst strain cause kidney failure and death. It is transmitted by eating raw or undercooked hamburger, unpasteurized milk/juices, contaminated well water/produce. ” • “Shigella which is know as traveler’s diarrhea, can cause diarrhea containing blood or mucus or both, and the constant urge to have bowel movements. It is transmitted in water polluted with human wastes”

Bacteria Start of Disease Means of Transmission Campylobacter 2 -5 days Meat, poultry, contaminated water, unpasteurized milk, etc. Clostridium botulinum 12 -72 hours Canned food and food kept at warm temperatures for too long. Clostridium perfringens 8 -16 hours Meats, stews, gravies, or when food is chilled too slowly. Escherichia coli (E. Coli) 1 -8 days Undercooked beef, unpasteurized liquids, etc. Giardia lamblia 1 -2 weeks Raw food, or contaminated water. Hepatitis A 28 days Raw food and shellfish from contaminated water. Listeria 9 -48 hours Luncheon meats, unpasteurized liquids. Norovirus 12 -48 hours See Giardia lamblia Rotavirus 1 -3 days See above

Bacteria Start of Disease Means of Transmission Shigella 24 -48 hours See Giardia lamblia Staphylococcus aureus 1 -6 hours Cream sauces and cream filled pastries. Spread by contact Vibro Vulnoficus 1 -7 days Raw/undercooked sea food/water.

Symptoms • Symptoms usually start within a few hours of eating the food or drinking the fluid. The time duration varies, depending on the type of food poisoning. • Some symptoms include having abdominal cramps, diarrhea (sometimes may be bloody), fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, weakness (may be very serious) • Consult your doctor is you experience the following: – Often vomiting (blood sometimes) – Diarrhea for a few days – Blood in your bowel movements – Abdominal cramps/pain – Dehydration (little urination/dizziness/weakness /etc. ) – Double vision – Muscle weakness that gets worse.

Treatment • Make sure you replace your body’s fluids and minerals, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium that maintain your body’s fluid balance. • You doctor may prescribe you medicine. Make sure you take these, even if you feel well after a couple of days. • Stop eating and drinking for a few hours to let your stomach settle down. • Take small sips of water. Infected adults should try to drink up to 16 glasses of water per day. • Avoid certain foods/drinks until you’re well enough. • Resort to hospitalization should occur if there is vomiting blood, yellow eyes or skin, problems breathing, a swollen abdomen, swollen joints, or a sharp abdominal pain that lasts for more than 15 minutes.

Preventing Food Poisoning • • Make sure that food from animal sources (meat, dairy, eggs) is cooked thoroughly or pasteurized. Using a thermometer is recommended. Avoid eating raw or undercooked meats and eggs. Check expiration dates on meats before purchasing and again before preparing. Don’t defrost food in room temperature! Instead, use the ‘defrost’ option on your microwave. Make sure that your food is cooked at a safe temperature. When cooking to the right temperature, you kill most of the harmful organisms living on the substance. • • • Be careful to keep juices or drippings from raw meat, poultry, shellfish, or eggs from contaminating other foods. Do not leave eggs, meats, poultry, seafood, or milk for extended periods of time at room temperature. Promptly refrigerate leftovers and food prepared in advance. Wash your hands, cutting boards, and knives with antibacterial soap and warm to hot water after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs. Wooden cutting boards are not recommended since they can be harder to clean completely.

Examples Most Common Food Poisoning Symptoms Campylobacter Bacteria

The Bacteria’s Cycle • Most prokaryotes reproduce asexually through a process called binary fission. During binary fission, the single DNA molecule replicates and the original cell is divided into two identical cells. Binary fission begins with the single DNA molecule replicating and both copies attaching to the cell membrane. • Next, the cell membrane begins to grow between the two DNA molecules. Once the bacterium just about doubles its original size, the cell membrane begins to pinch inward. • A cell wall then forms between the two DNA molecules dividing the original cell into two identical daughter cells.

Bibliography • http: //www. mayoclinic. com • http: //www. aboutfoodpoisoning. com/how-long-doesfood-poisoning-last. html • http: //health. nytimes. com/health/guides/disease/food -poisoning/overview. html • http: //www. medical-library. net/content/view/526/41 • http: //pediatrics. about. com/od/safety/a/food_poisoni ng. htm • http: //biology. about. com/od/cellanatomy/ss/prokaryo tes_2. htm

• References: www. slideshare. com