Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is caused by food contamination, usually by bacteria, parasites, or viruses. Symptoms can be vary from mild to serious and include upset stomach, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and dehydration.

 

Young children, people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women and their fetuses, and older adults are at the greatest risk from bacterial infections.

 

Certain microorganisms rarely can cause the spontaneous abortion of a fetus or the death of an adult.

 

Children are at particular risk from the bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7, which can lead to kidney failure and death.

 

 

Seventy-six million people in the United States get sick from contaminated food annually. The majority of these infections are not reported. However, 5,000 people die of food poisoning each year.

 

It's estimated that 1 in 10,000 eggs is contaminated with the bacterium Salmonella. Produce such as spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and melons can be contaminated with Salmonella, Shigella, or E.coli O157:H7.