Food Poisoning: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Check the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment for food poisoning.

Foodborne illness is commonly known as food poisoning and it can be caused due to the consumption of contaminated, spoiled, or toxic food. People suffering from food poisoning may experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

It can be extremely uncomfortable and it i a common phenomenon thus you don't need to panic if you experience the symptoms below. You can follow the diagnosis tests and treatment under your doctor. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48 million people in the United States contract some form of food poisoning every year.

Let's have a quick look at the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Food Poisoning.

Food Poisoning: Signs & Symptoms 

According to the doctors of Mayo clinic, here are a few signs and symptoms of food poisoning:

• abdominal cramps

• diarrhea

• nausea

• vomiting

• loss of appetite

• mild fever

• weakness

• headache

• diarrhea that lasts for more than 3 days

• a fever higher than 102°F (38.9°C)

• difficulty seeing or speaking

Food Poisoning: Causes

Most food poisoning can be caused due to one of three major causes: bacteria, parasites, or viruses.

These pathogens can be found on any kind of food that humans eat. However, heat usually kills pathogens on food before it reaches our plate thus cooking the food is important. Foods eaten raw are common sources of food poisoning.

Food may come in contact with the organisms in fecal matter or vomit and it may happen when an ill person prepares food and doesn’t wash their hands before cooking. Meat, eggs, and dairy products are common items that are often contaminated. Water may also be contaminated. Common bacteria that cause food poisoning are:

• E. coli, in particular Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)

• Listeria monocytogenes

• Salmonella

• Campylobacter

• Clostridium botulinum

• Staphylococcus aureus

• Shigella

• Vibrio vulnificus

Food poisoning caused by parasites is not very common but they are still very dangerous. They include:

• Toxoplasma gondii

• 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

Food poisoning can also be caused by viruses like:

• norovirus, which is sometimes known as Norwalk virus

• rotavirus

• astrovirus

• sapovirus

• hepatitis A virus

Food Poisoning: Diagnosis

For the diagnosis of food poisoning, your doctor may take a physical examination and and ask if you are suffering from symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea or other symptoms. Other queries may include:

• Your symptoms.

• Food or drinks you've had recently.

• Symptoms in people who ate with you.

• Recent changes in the drugs you take.

• Recent travel.

Your provider may order tests including:

• Stool sample tests to name the bacteria, viruses, parasites or toxins.

• Blood tests to name a cause of illness, rule out other conditions or identify complications.

Food Poisoning: Treatment

According to Healthline, treatment for food poisoning may include the following:

• Fluid replacement to maintain the balance of fluids in your body. Electrolytes include minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium. After vomiting or diarrhea replacement of fluids is important to prevent dehydration.

• Antibiotics helps manage illness caused by bacteria. Antibiotics are prescribed to people with severe disease or a higher risk of complications.

• Antiparasitics are drugs that target parasites, called antiparasitics, are usually prescribed for parasitic infections.

• Probiotics help replace bad bacteria with healthy bacteria in the digestive system.