Most cases of food poisoning come from bacteria that survives in improperly cooked or prepared food. Symptoms can range from a mild discomfort to being violently ill. Anyone who has had a severe case of food poisoning would most certainly want to avoid ever getting it again and there are several culprits that cause the majority of cases.
Salmonella
One of the most common causes of food poisoning, Salmonella is a rod-shaped bacteria most commonly found in poultry and pigs. Everyone is susceptible, but children and the elderly are most at risk. Salmonella can survive in water and on surfaces, which is why restaurants take care to thoroughly clean everything used to prepare raw chicken and pork. Most cases of Salmonella are contracted through ingestion of undercooked chicken, pork, eggs or unpasteurized milk. Symptoms can include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and headache and usually last for one or two days.
Campylobacter
While cases of Salmonella have stayed relatively consistent over the years, for some reason Campylobacter has seen a heavy increase. Campylobacter is actual a group of spiral-shaped bacteria that can infect animals and humans alike. Most humans are affected by Campylobacter Jejuni. This bacteria is most often transported through birds, who can carry it without becoming sick themselves. Bird feces can also harbor this bacteria. However, Campylobacter is fragile and can not survive in oxygen, or on dry surfaces. It is also is completely destroyed with heat or freezing. Like Salmonella, it is most often spread through undercooked chicken or unpasteurized milk but symptoms normally do not surface for a few days. The symptoms include nausea, cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever and can last for as long as several weeks. This bacteria can also be life-threatening to people with compromised immune systems as it can spread to the blood stream.
E. Coli
Escherichia Coli is another common bacteria found in the stool of animals. It is a natural inhabitant of the human intestines that helps suppress the growth of other harmful bacteria. Certain strains however can be harmful and even fatal. The harmful strains of E. Coli are spread through improperly handled and cooked beef. Also, unwashed fruits and vegetables can spread the bacteria as well, especially if they were grown using manure as a fertilizer. The elderly and infants can suffer damage to the intestinal lining and anemia and get kidney failure because of this bacteria. The illness associated with E. coli can have a 50 percent mortality rate in the elderly.
Botulism
Botulism is most commonly found in improperly canned foods such as corn, green beans and peas. Dented cans are a red flag as well when attempting to avoid food poisoning. It can also be found in heated foods that have been stored improperly. Infants can catch the bacteria through spores in honey. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramps and nausea.
Staph
Staphylococcus Aureus, most commonly called "staph" is a bacteria that creates a toxin while within food. It is salt and heat resistant and actually survives best in warm foods. The only way to kill this bacteria is through cooling. Staph is most often found in dairy products or foods with dairy added to them like creams, pies, tuna salad, egg salad and milk. However, this bacteria has also been known to inhabit potatoes and salads. Staph infections can cause pimples, boils, abdominal pain, vomiting, and a drop in body temperature. Serious cases can cause blood infections and pneumonia. The staph bacteria lives naturally on the skin and in the nose of healthy humans and is most often spread through mishandled food, sneezing around food, and allowing dairy to sit at room temperature.
Tags: food poisoning, most often, abdominal pain, bacteria that, cases Salmonella