Symptoms and Signs of Food Poisoning

Food Poisoning Symptoms

The most common signs and symptoms of food poisoning from most causes are as follows:

• Abdominal cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

However, symptoms infrequently can get worse. Other symptoms include:

• Blood in the stool or vomit
• Dehydration
• High fevers
• Diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days
• Headaches
• Weakness
• Blurry vision
• Numb, tingling, or burning sensations in the extremities
• Bloating
• Liver problems
• Renal problems
• Reactive arthritis
• Seizures
• Death

Symptoms of food poisoning sometimes depend on which organ system the poison effects; for example, the neurological system may be altered by neurotoxins like pesticides and botulinum toxin.

When a group of individuals experiences similar symptoms after eating or drinking similar foods, food poisoning may be suspected.

Some people are at higher risk to develop food poisoning. They include children, older adults, pregnant women and people with medical conditions like diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease and anyone with immunodepression.

Food Poisoning Causes

Viruses and bacteria

Viruses are the most frequent cause of food poisoning in the U.S. The next highest causes are bacteria. About 31 viral and bacterial pathogens are responsible for almost 9.4 million diagnosed food poisoning illnesses per year; about 48 million food poisoning cases are unspecified (undiagnosed). Yearly, about 128,000 people are hospitalized and about 3,000 die from all causes of food poisoning.

The most common pathogens that cause food poisoning are:

1. Norovirus
2. Salmonella
3. Clostridium perfringens
4. Campylobacter
5. Staphylococcus aureus

The most common pathogens that caused hospitalizations due to contamination of foods or fluids are:

1. Salmonella
2. Norovirus
3. Campylobacter
4. Toxoplasma gondii
5. Escherichia coli (E. coli)

The most common pathogens that cause deaths are:

1. Salmonella
2. Toxoplasma gondii
3. Listeria monocytogenes
4. Norovirus
5. Campylobacter

Infectious agents comprise the largest category of food poisoning, but as seen from the above top categories, viral infections comprise the bulk of infected patients but are far less likely to cause hospitalizations and deaths than Salmonella bacteria. Because the bulk of "unspecified" causes is probably similar to the makeup of the diagnosed causes, this grouping of viruses and bacteria is considered to be the main causes of food poisoning in the U.S.

Toxins

There are many toxins that can cause food poisoning. Some are produced by bacteria on or in food and others are produced by plants and animals/fish or other organisms that are ingested. There are many plants and animals/fish that can be poisonous under certain conditions but they are encountered infrequently or under special conditions.

Even though there are many bacterial, plant, and other toxins that can be ingested with food and water, they are usually limited to relatively small outbreaks.

Parasites

Most parasites are ingested with contaminated food or water. Some of the parasites ingested include:

• Giardia
• Amoeba
• Trichinella
• Taenia solium

Chemicals

Certain chemicals are considered toxins that can cause food poisoning. Although there are over 80,000 chemicals used in the U.S., only a few have been well studied. While most do not enter into foods, some do and cause food poisoning. An example of such a chemical is mercury, found in drinking water and in fish such as tuna and marlin. Other examples of chemicals that can be toxic if enough contaminates food and water are pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and lead.

The causes of food and water poisoning are numerous. This brief listing of causes should suffice as a framework to begin more detailed studies of food poisoning.

If viruses or bacteria cause food poisoning, it can be contagious.

Foods most commonly associated with food poisoning include:

• Eggs
• Poultry
• Meats
• Unpasteurized milk or other fluids
• Cheese,
• Raw fruits and vegetables (usually unwashed
• Nuts
• Spices