Food poisoning

Definition

Food poisoning is the result of eating organisms or toxins in contaminated food. Most cases of food poisoning are from common bacteria such as Staphylococcus or E. coli.

Causes

Food poisoning can affect one person or it can occur as an outbreak in a group of people who all ate the same contaminated food.

Food poisoning tends to occur at picnics, school cafeterias, and large social functions. In these cases, food may be left out of the refrigerator too long or food preparation techniques may not be clean. Food poisoning often occurs from eating undercooked meats, dairy products, or food containing mayonaise (like coleslaw or potato salad) that have sat out too long.

Food poisoning can be caused by:

• Bacillus cereus
• Botulism
• Campylobacter
• Cholera
• E. coli enteritis
• Fish poisoning
• Listeria
• Mushroom poisoning
• Staph aureus
• Salmonella
• Shigella
• Yersinia

Botulism is a very serious form of food poisoning that can be fatal. It can come from improper home canning.

Infants and elderly people have the greatest risk for food poisoning. You are also at higher risk if:

• You have a serious medical condition, such as kidney disease or diabetes
• You have a weakened immune system
• You travel outside of the U.S. to areas where there is more exposure to organisms that cause food poisoning

Pregnant and breastfeeding women have to be especially careful.

References

Diagnosis and management of foodborne illnesses: a primer for physicians. Atlanta, Ga. American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture; 2001. MMWR Recomm Rep; 50(RR-2): 1-69.

Tam CC. Campylobacter coli - an important foodborne pathogen. J Infect. 2003; 47(1): 28-32.

Tintinalli JE, Kelen GD, Stapczynski JS, eds. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. New York, Ny :McGraw Hill Professional; 2003.