| Food poisoning is no joke; once you have had it, you | | | | vomiting. The symptoms can last 5-7 days. Fortunately |
| will do whatever it takes to avoid getting it again. So | | | | for most with Salmonella, they just have to take care |
| what exactly is food poisoning? Simply put, food | | | | not to get dehydrated. However, the very young child, |
| poisoning is a food borne illness people get from eating | | | | the elderly, or people with a chronic illness could be in |
| food contaminated with toxins or bad bacteria. | | | | more serious danger. In those situations, there are |
| Sometimes foods will look a little funny or smell a little | | | | times when a doctor will prescribe antibiotics to help |
| funny; but very often, you will not know the food you | | | | fight the bacterial infection. |
| are about to eat is contaminated with bad bacteria | | | | To help avoid getting Salmonella one should not eat |
| that could be harmful to your health. | | | | raw eggs, drink raw milk, and always make sure the |
| What does food poisoning do to your body? Well, that | | | | meat you eat is fully cooked. You also must keep all |
| depends on what kind of food poisoning you have and | | | | surfaces in the kitchen and refrigerator clean and |
| whether you have a compromised immune system | | | | wiped down with disinfectant if they come in contact |
| due to your age or an underlying medical condition. | | | | with uncooked meat, juices, eggs or milk products. |
| There is more than one type of food poisoning; so let's | | | | E.coli is a bacterial infection that contaminates food, |
| look at some of the types and how they can affect | | | | milk and even unsanitary swimming water. It causes |
| you. | | | | the same type of symptoms as the previous bacterial |
| Shigella: Shigella is a bad bacterium that causes severe | | | | infections, however, sometimes bloody diarrhea is |
| diarrhea; it is spread from human to human through | | | | present and sometimes it is not. A stool sample must |
| fecal matter and poor hygiene. The symptoms of this | | | | be submitted to the doctor to know for sure if E.coli is |
| disease are very similar to Salmonella in that it causes | | | | the bacteria responsible for causing the illness in a |
| fever, cramps, nausea, and the diarrhea which is | | | | patient complaining of these symptoms. |
| usually bloody. A doctor is able to test the stool of the | | | | In some patients, E.coli can cause serious complications |
| person suspected of having Shigella to know for sure | | | | for their red blood cells which can result in kidney |
| whether this bacterial infection is present in the patient. | | | | failure. It is recommended if a person suddenly starts |
| Preventing Shigella is easy if one practices consistent | | | | having bloody diarrhea, they should immediately seek |
| personal hygiene by washing hands thoroughly and | | | | medical help to determine what bacteria is the cause. |
| keeping bathroom and kitchen surfaces free of fecal | | | | This is critical to avoiding further complications to the |
| matter. This can be done by practicing good cleaning | | | | overall health and well being of the infected person. |
| methods with common household disinfectants. | | | | This type of bacterial infection can be avoided by |
| Botulism: There are three types of Botulism bacteria: | | | | simply taking the precaution of cooking meats until |
| wound, infant botulism and food borne. Wound botulism | | | | there is no question it is done and taking extreme care |
| is caused by a rare bacteria toxin that infects a | | | | to wash hands and surfaces carefully when using a |
| wound. Infant botulism is caused by bacteria living inside | | | | restroom, changing diapers, performing personal care |
| the intestines of a baby. One culprit can be raw honey. | | | | for the elderly or after handling raw meats when |
| It is very important infants are never given raw honey | | | | preparing them for a meal. |
| as it may have serious side effects. Improperly canned | | | | Listeria is a bit different from other bacteria because |
| and processed foods are the main cause of food | | | | of the way it enters into the food supply. It is mainly |
| borne botulism. | | | | spread through the soil and water. The soil or water |
| Botulism can cause dry mouth, muscle weakness, | | | | can be contaminated through the fertilizer used in the |
| blurry vision, slurred speech and difficulty in swallowing. | | | | growing process. Foods contaminated with Listeria |
| It can also, in severe cases, cause paralysis and | | | | must be heated or pasteurized to kill the bacteria. |
| respiratory failure. | | | | There are many cases each year of people who |
| The way to eliminate many cases of Botulism is to | | | | have been infected with Listeria through sandwich |
| continually educate food handlers how to properly can, | | | | meats which were infected with the bacteria through |
| cook and prepare foods. It can be avoided in infants | | | | the manufacturing process. |
| by simply not giving them honey. Most food borne | | | | Listeria food poisoning is very serious and can cause |
| illnesses or food poisoning cases can be avoided by | | | | death. Symptoms can include diarrhea, fever, nausea |
| taking some simple precautions such as consistent and | | | | and muscle pain. Other symptoms such as confusion, |
| thorough hand washing procedures, sanitary practices | | | | convulsions and a lack of balance can occur if the |
| for surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen | | | | bacteria travel to the nervous system |
| environments, as well as taking the time to make sure | | | | Additionally, if a pregnant woman should become |
| meats are fully cooked and raw materials from | | | | infected with Listeria it could cause her to prematurely |
| animals are handled in a sanitary manner. | | | | deliver her baby. It is very likely the baby would also be |
| Salmonella is an infection that can be passed to the | | | | infected or Listeria can even cause a baby to be |
| human body from both wild and domesticated animals | | | | stillborn. A diagnosis of Listeria is made by blood or |
| through the meat, eggs or milk produced from the | | | | spinal fluid testing and it is often treated with antibiotics. |
| animals. You can get salmonella from eating meat that | | | | Again, most food borne illnesses or food poisoning |
| is undercooked, from milk that is unpasteurized or from | | | | cases can be avoided by taking a few simple |
| raw or improperly cooked eggs. You can also get it | | | | precautions such as consistent and thorough hand |
| from surfaces that are touched by any of those items. | | | | washing procedures, sanitary practices for surfaces in |
| Some people can be carriers of salmonella and not | | | | the bathroom and kitchen environments, as well as |
| show any symptoms, yet it can be passed on to other | | | | taking the time to make sure meats are fully cooked |
| humans if there are food handlers. | | | | and raw materials from animals are handled in a |
| How do you know if you have salmonella poisoning? | | | | sanitary manner. Food safety is really very simple; but |
| Some of the symptoms of salmonella food poisoning | | | | not followed, the results can be deadly. |
| are nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and | | | | |