Medicine for Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is characterized by sudden sickness caused by consuming food or drink that is contaminated with a toxin or infectious organism. It can affect an individual or group of people who ate same contaminated food in a party, picnic, restaurant or fast-food outlet. The symptoms may start hours or days after consuming the food or drink.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms when you experience food poisoning are diarrhea and vomiting, often accompanied by abdominal pain. You can also have headache, fever and chills, as well as feeling weak, depending on the severity of poisoning in your body.

Causes

Most cases of food poisoning result from contamination of water or food by bacteria. According to the Medline Plus encyclopedia, food poisoning can be caused by:
* Bacillus cereus
* Botulism
* Campylobacter
* Cholera
* E. coli enteritis
* Fish poisoning
* Listeria
* Mushroom poisoning
* Staphylococcus aureus
* Salmonella
* Shigella
* Yersinia

Prevention

Always wash your hands with hot and cold running water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing food to avoid contamination. Make sure to use clean dishes, utensils and counters; then wash them thoroughly with disinfectant after using. To keep germs from spreading, use different utensils and chopping board for cutting raw meat or chicken. Check the food temperature with thermometer. According to the Washington State Food and Beverage Worker's Manual, most bacteria do not grow in hot or cold temperatures. To keep food safe, cold foods must be kept 41°F or colder. Hot foods must be kept 140°F or hotter. Cooking temperatures are:

* 165°F (for 15 seconds) for poultry (chicken and turkey), stuffed foods or stuffing,
all raw animal products cooked in a microwave and all reheated
potentially hazardous foods, such as animal products, cooked starches, fruits and
vegetables.

* 155°F (for 15 seconds) for hamburger and sausage.

* 145°F (for 15 seconds) for eggs, fish, beef and pork.

* 140°F for vegetables that will be hot held and packaged ready-to-eat foods
(such as hot dogs and canned chili) that are heated for hot holding.

Hot holding is keeping the food hot until served with 140°F temperature or hotter. You can use soup warmers, steam tables and other hot-holding units.

Treatment

It is much easier to know if it is food poisoning when people in a group show the same symptoms, usually vomiting and diarrhea. In most cases, food poisoning disappears within a couple of days without treatment. Take a good rest and drink lots of fluids, such as water and rehydration solutions. Avoid drinking milk or caffeinated beverages. If you are severely sick, you need medical treatment immediately.

Warning

If you have diarrhea and vomit so much, make sure you take plenty of fluids to prevent yourself from dehydration. If the symptoms are severe or last more than 72 to 96 hours, call the doctor right away, especially if an elderly person, child, pregnant or breastfeeding woman is affected. Keep samples of any remaining food eaten and feces for testing of bacteria's presence. If you eat toxic foods, such as poisonous mushrooms, you need to go to a hospital for emergency care to get rid the poison from the body.

References

• Food Poisoning
• Food Poisoning and Safe Food Handling
• Washington State Food and Beverage Worker's Manual; Department of Health; April 2005