Food Poisoning

Foodborne illness

Foodborne illness (foodborne disease or food poisoning) is any illness resulting from the consumption of contaminated food by bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi.

 

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms typically begin several hours to several days after consumption and depending on the agent involved, can include one or more of the following: nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, fever, headache or fatigue.

In most cases the body recovers after a short period of discomfort and illness. Nonetheless, foodborne illness can result in permanent health problems or even death, mostly for people at high risk, including babies, young children, pregnant women, elderly people, weak immune systems persons.

 

Causes

Foodborne illness usually arises from improper handling, preparation, or food storage. Good hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting an illness. There is a general consensus in the public health community that regular hand-washing is one of the most effective defenses against the spread of foodborne illness. The action of monitoring food to ensure that it will not cause foodborne illness is known as food safety.

 

Emerging foodborne pathogens

Many foodborne illnesses remain poorly understood. However, viruses, parasites and bacteria account for most food poisoning. Foodborne viral infection is the most common foodborne illness : enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, hepatitis E virus, norovirus (norovirus GI & norovirus GII), rotavirus. Parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium also account for several food poisoning cases.