Food Poisoning

What is food poisoning?

Food-borne illness, more commonly referred to as food poisoning, is the result of eating contaminated, spoiled, or toxic food. The most common symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

What are the myths about food poisoning?

A hot meal can still give food poisoning when served in unclean utensils and hand washing is not practiced before meals. “African germs don’t kill” is false. Food poisoning can be very fatal and it is not worth consuming food we suspect may have gone bad. It is very good practice to wash hands with soap before a meal. Rinse thoroughly to with running water to get the soap fragrance from your hands. If you do still smell it, it does not mean you’re consuming soap.

How do you know you have food poisoning?

Symptoms can vary depending on the source of the infection. Common cases of food poisoning will typically include a few of the following symptoms:

• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Mild fever
• Weakness
• Headache

Symptoms of potentially life threatening food poisoning include:

• Diarrhea that lasts for more than 3 days
• A fever higher than 38.9°C
• Difficulty seeing or speaking
• Symptoms of severe dehydration, which may include dry mouth, passing little to no urine, and difficulty keeping fluids down
• Bloody urine

Once you see these symptoms, report to the nearest health facility

What are the causes of food poisoning?

Most food poisoning can be traced to one of three major causes: bacteria, parasites, or viruses. These pathogens can be found on almost all of the food humans eat. However, heat from cooking usually kills pathogens on food before it reaches our plate. Foods eaten raw are common sources of food poisoning because they don’t go through the cooking process. Occasionally, food will come in contact with the organisms in fecal matter or vomit. This is most likely to occur when an ill person prepares food and doesn’t wash their hands before cooking.

What germs are responsible for this?

1. Bacteria: bacteria are by far the most common cause of food poisoning. Bacterial causes of food poisoning include:
   • E. coli, in particular Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
   • Listeria monocytogenes; Salmonella; Campylobacter; Clostridium botulinum
   • Staphylococcus aureus; Shigella; Vibrio vulnificus
     
2. Parasites. Food poisoning caused by parasites isn’t as common as food poisoning caused by bacteria, but parasites that spread through food are still very dangerous. They include:
   • Toxoplasma gondii (also common in cat faeces and very dangerous for pregnant women)
   • Giardia lamblia
   • various tapeworms, such as:
   • Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm)
   • Taenia solium (pork tapeworm)
   • Diphyllobothrium latum (fish tapeworm)
   • Cryptosporidium
   • Ascaris lumbricoides, a type of roundworm
   • flukes (flatworms), such as Opisthorchiidae (liver fluke) and Paragonimus (lung fluke)
   • pinworms, or Enterobiasis
   • Trichinella
     
3. Viruses: Food poisoning can also be caused by a virus, such as:
   • Norovirus, which is sometimes known as Norwalk virus
   • Rotavirus
   • Astrovirus
   • Sapovirus
   • Hepatitis A virus

What are the risk factors for food poisoning?

Anyone can come down with food poisoning. There are some populations that are more at risk than others. These include:

• Immunocompromised people. Anyone with a suppressed immune system or an autoimmune disease may have a greater risk of infection and complications resulting from food poisoning.
• Pregnant women are more at risk because their bodies are coping with changes to their metabolism and circulatory system during pregnancy.
• Older adults. Adults who are 65 years or older also face a greater risk of contracting food poisoning. This is because their immune systems may not respond quickly to infectious organisms.
• Young children. Children under 5 years old are also considered an at-risk population because their immune systems aren’t as developed as those of adults. Young children are more easily affected by dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea.

How is food poisoning diagnosed and managed?

A diagnosis can be made based on presenting symptoms. In severe cases, blood tests, stool tests, and tests on food that you’ve eaten may be conducted to determine what’s responsible for the food poisoning. A doctor may also use a urine test to evaluate whether you are dehydrated as a result of food poisoning. Treatment can start at home with ORS if there is diarrhea. Rest and clean fruits are encouraged. Make sure to drink a lot of clean water. If symptoms persist; or you suspect food poisoning in the “at risk” group; report to the nearest health facility immediately.