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Food poisoning is a condition caused by ingesting food contaminated by bacteria. These bacteria produce toxins that are very harmful to the human body. Although we have an inbuilt system within our stomach to inhibit the growth of these bacteria, in some cases, we end up ingesting such large quantities of the bacterium that it causes illness. Generally caused by bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter or Clostridium perfringens, food poisoning is usually caused by eating food that is prepared under unsanitary conditions. Viruses, parasites, and harmful chemicals may also cause food poisoning. Food poisoning can happen suddenly and lasts less than a week. Most people get better without any treatment, whereas this condition may lead to serious complications. Infants, children, pregnant women, older adults, and weak immunity people are more likely to get food poisoning and face severe symptoms and complications in some individuals.

Symptoms

The symptoms of food poisoning usually manifest instantaneously or even up to 48 hours later. The most common symptoms include:

• Nausea


• Vomiting


• Diarrhoea


• Fever


• Malaise (general feeling of illness)


• Headache


• Stomach ache


• Body ache

Less common symptoms of food poisoning include:

• Vision problems


• Paralysis


• Tingling sensation on the skin


• Weakness

Causes And Risk Factors

Causes

Foods contaminated with viruses, bacteria, parasites and harmful chemicals cause food poisoning. These agents can spread to food anytime during the process of growing food to preparing food. Foods containing microorganisms are raw meat and eggs, unpasteurized dairy products and fruit juices, fish and shellfish, raw fruits and vegetables, processed meats such as hot dogs, and foods that are not properly sealed. Microorganisms can spread from raw foods to other foods through hands, utensils, cutting board, and kitchen surface. Microorganisms that cause food poisoning are:

• Viruses: Norovirus and hepatitis A virus.


• Bacteria: Salmonella, Clostridium, Campylobacter, Vibrio, Listeria, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli.


• Parasites like Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium.

Harmful chemicals can be present in unwashed foods containing pesticides, wild mushrooms, and fish and shellfish that contain toxins produced by microorganisms.

Risk Factors

Individuals under certain age groups like children less than five years and adults aged 65 years or above, pregnant women, and individuals with a weak immune system are at higher risk of developing food poisoning. Adults aged 65 years or older have weakened immunity and organs, making it harder for their bodies to recognize the infection. The body of children less than five years is not well-developed to fight infections. Children infected with Salmonella species are more likely to get hospitalized. Individuals on dialysis are more prone to Listeria infection. Patients with an existing medical condition such as kidney disease, HIV, AIDS, diabetes, or cancer are also at high risk. The list of food products that can increase the risk of food poisoning are:

Raw or undercooked meat, eggs, or fish

Products containing cold-smoked fish

Raw sprouts

Raw milk

Soft cheeses prepared from unpasteurized milk such as feta cheese

Unpasteurized meat spreads

Prevention

Food poisoning is an entirely avoidable condition; here are a few precautions you can take:

• Wash your hand before every meal.


• Eat food cooked in sanitary conditions.


• Do not eat leftovers that are more than two days old.


• If someone else cooks for you, make sure he/she washes their hands, the utensils, vegetables and meat well before cooking.


• Do not eat raw cut fruits or vegetables that are sold on the street in the open.


• Keep raw foods such as meat, chicken, fish, and eggs separated from other foods.


• Always make sure you eat food cooked in clean and filtered water. A number of organisms can survive even after the food is cooked.


• Avoid eating food sitting out for more than two hours at a temperature greater than 30 degrees Celsius.


• Do not eat eggs or meat that is not well cooked. They are very common carriers of bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli.


• Always remember to wash your hands well with a good antibacterial soap after visiting the toilet. This is a must because the door handles, taps and other toilet surfaces are known to have almost 3 times the number of bacteria as the toilet seat.


• Avoid drinking or brushing your teeth with untreated water.


• Avoid drinking unpasteurized juices and dairy products.

Diagnosis

The doctor diagnoses food poisoning based on the patient’s symptoms. Patients do not require any laboratory tests if their symptoms are mild and last for a short period. Instead, the doctor will ask patients about the foods or drinks they recently ate, other individuals around who recently had food poisoning, medical history and whether they are consuming any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

In a physical exam doctor may examine:

• Blood pressure


• Signs of dehydration


• Fever


• Sounds in the stomach (by using a stethoscope)


• Pain or tenderness in the stomach


• Blood in the stool (by digital rectal exam)

Stool tests and blood tests are carried out to check the presence of microorganisms or signs of any complications such as dehydration.

Treatment

Individuals usually recover from food poisoning on their own without any medical treatment. However, drinking a lot of liquids and using over-the-counter medicines can help in reducing the symptoms. Patients may experience loss of appetite due to vomiting for a short period. However, they can go back to normal eating once the appetite returns. Individuals experiencing vomiting can try sipping small amounts of liquids to prevent dehydration. Avoid giving over-the-counter medicines to children or patients having fever or bloody diarrhoea.

The treatment options available in such a condition is usually very simple. Your doctor will prescribe medicines that will control your vomiting or diarrhoea, and fever, combined with a round of antibiotics. In case you don’t feel better even after taking the medicine, you will be asked to get a few blood tests done like a CBC, and to give a stool sample. The CBC will help identify if there is still an infection in the body and the stool sample will help identify exactly which organism has caused the food poisoning.

A common precaution your doctor will take is to prescribe rehydrating agents and advise you to drink a lot of water. This not only helps rehydrate your body but will also help flush out the toxins faster. Oral rehydration Therapy (ORS) is an essential part of treating food poisoning. This is because when a person suffers from diarrhoea and/or vomiting, he/she loses not only water but a number of essential salts and minerals from the body. This rapid loss of nutrients could send the body into shock, causing a shut down in the main functions of the body. There are a number of oral rehydrating agents available on the market. All you need to do is add it to a litre of boiled water and keep sipping the solution throughout the day. Another natural option is to have nimbu pani with salt and sugar or coconut water. Both these substitutes are cheap yet effective methods of rehydration. Individuals can replace lost fluids and electrolytes by drinking water, fruit juices diluted with water, sports drinks, and broths. Give babies breast milk or formula feed. Doctors can also recommend probiotics as they can help to decrease the duration of diarrhoea. In cases of severe treatment or complications, patients are treated in a hospital.

Lifestyle/management 

Individuals with food poisoning should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. As soon as the appetite returns, adults and children should have foods which they normally eat. Give breast milk and nutrition to the infants.

Individuals should avoid the following foods:

• Drinks containing caffeine such as tea, coffee, and carbonated drinks.


• High-fat foods such as fried food and fast food.


• High-sugar-containing foods like sweetened fruit juices.


• Dairy products contain lactose as patients recovering from food poisoning may face problems digesting lactose for a month.

Prognosis And Complications

Prognosis

Most of the patients fully recover from food poisoning within 12–48 hours. Rarely can they develop severe symptoms or complications or die due to food poisoning. This will depend on the type of microorganism or chemical that caused food poisoning and the patient’s age and health.

Complications

If left untreated, food poisoning might lead to:

• Severe dehydration: This is dangerous in children, older adults, and people with weak immunity. Patients may experience dehydration symptoms like extreme thirst, dry mouth, fainting, tiredness, dark-coloured urine, and sunken eyes or cheeks.


• Haemolytic uraemic syndrome: a condition where the body does not have enough water and leads to the build-up of urea in the body leading to kidney failure. This condition is a complication of food poisoning due to E. coli. Bacteria is common in children younger than five years.


• Reactive arthritis: This is a condition where the joints become inflamed due to a gastrointestinal infection.


• Pericarditis: It is a condition where the outer covering of the heart gets infected.


• Food poisoning in pregnant women can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.


• Guillain-Barre syndrome.


• Irritable bowel syndrome.


• Food poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum paralyzes the muscles that control breathing in individuals leading to breathing problems.


• Death

References

• Definition & facts of food poisoning. NIH. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/food-poisoning/definition-facts.


• Symptoms & causes of food poisoning. NIH. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/food-poisoning/symptoms-causes.


• Food poisoning. MedlinePlus. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001652.htm.


• People with a higher risk. CDC. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/people-at-risk-food-poisoning.html.


• People at risk of food poisoning. Available at: https://www.foodsafety.gov/people-at-risk.


• Treatment for food poisoning. NIH. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/food-poisoning/treatment.


• Diagnosis of food poisoning. NIH. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/food-poisoning/diagnosis.


• Eating, diet, & nutrition for food poisoning. NIH. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/food-poisoning/eating-diet-nutrition.


• Food poisoning. Cleveland clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21167-food-poisoning#:~:text=Outlook%20%2F%20Prognosis,-What%20is%20the&text=In%20most%20cases%2C%20people%20with,toxin%20caused%20the%20food%20poisoning.