Food Poisoning

 Food poisoning includes ill effects caused by the ingestion

of contaminated food by many ways apart from microbial
agents.
They may be-
i. Through the addition of proteins.
ii. Through eating of inherent poisonous substance such as
certain mushrooms, fish and molluscs by mistake.
iii. Adulteration of food with poisonous substance such as
Argemone mexicana in mustard producing epidemic
dropsy.
 The term “food poisoning” is however restricted only to
acute gastroenteritis due to bacterial pollution of food or
drink.

 The term “food-borne” disease is defined as “A disease,

usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by
agents that enter the body through the ingestion of
food”.
Food-borne intoxications are caused due to-
1. Naturally occurring toxins in some foods, including
i. Lathyrism (beta-oxalyl amino-alanine)
ii. Endemic ascitis (Pyrrolizidine alkaloids)
2. Toxins produced by certain bacteria, including
i. Botulism
ii. Staphyloccal toxins
3. Toxins produced by some fungi, including
i. Aflatoxin
ii. Ergot
iii. Fusarium toxins
4. Due to toxins produced by some algae, like
i. Planktonic dinoflagellates
ii. Diatoms
iii. Cyanobacteria
5. Due to food-borne chemical poisoning
 Lathyrism
Neurological disease of humans and domestic
animals, caused by eating certain legumes of the genus
Lathyrus (grass pea).
Ascitis
Ascites is excess fluid in the space between the tissues
lining the abdomen and abdominal organs.
neurotoxic amino acid β-N-
oxalyl-L-α,β-
diaminopropionic
acid (ODAP)

Lathyrus sativus
 Food-borne infections include-
1. Bacterial infections such as-
Salmonellosis, Shigellosis, E. coli diarrhoea, Cholera,
Streptococcal infection, Brucellosis, Listeriosis.
2. Viral infections such as-
Viral gastroenteritis, Hepatitis A.
3. Parasitic infections such as-
Taeniasis, Trichinellosis.
These involve food poisoning caused by the ingestion of live
organisms.

The organisms grow in the gastrointestinal tract to produce the

disease.
Most microbial food poisonings fall in this category.

For e.g., Salmonellosis caused by Salmonella typhi.

Enteritis associated with food poisoning infections is due to the

production of exotoxins or endotoxins that act as enterotoxins.
In certain other types of food poisoning, as in the case of
Clostridium perfringens, live cells need to be ingested
for the disease to occur but the organism does not grow
and reproduce in the gut.

Vegetative cells sporulate after ingestion and enterotoxin

released causing the disease symptoms. Since live cells
are needed to be ingested to cause the food poisoning,
it can be considered as food-borne infection.
What are these microbes?
It is estimated that every year more than Eighty one
million people are affected by food
borne illness every year.
Illnesses such as food poisoning are becoming more
common as our lifestyles change – for one thing, we eat
out more and more food is being prepared in advance.
 Staphylococcus aureus, also known as 'Golden staph', is
important from both a medical and food perspective.
 About half of us carry this organism in our skin and nasal
passages.
If you have an infected cut or sore, it can contain large numbers of
Staphylococcus. Keep any cuts or sores well covered if you are
handling foods.
 Animals and poultry also carry this bacteria on their bodies and all
raw meat and poultry products should be handled as though they
are contaminated. Raw milk can also be a source of this bacteria.
 It likes to grow in salty and sweet foods like those containing
custard, hams, salads, cream-filled bakery products etc.

 The important thing to remember is that Staphylococcus produces

a heat stable toxin as it grows and that makes person sick.

 If it is allowed to grow in food the toxin will remain even if the

food is cooked again. The toxin takes only a very short time to
make sick (1 to 6 hours) and causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal
cramps and diarrhoea as the usual symptoms.
 Staph aureus can be found in
-meat products,
-poultry and
-egg products,
-salads,
-cream filled pastries, and
-other dairy products.
It can also withstand higher salt levels than most
other bacteria, so it can also live in cured foods,
such as ham.
 It is important to prevent the contamination of food with
Staphylococcus before the toxin can be produced.
 Wash hands and under fingernails vigorously with soap and water
before handling and preparing food.
 Do not prepare food if you have a nose or eye infection.
 Do not prepare or serve food for others if you have wounds or
skin infections on your hands or wrists.
 Keep kitchens and food-serving areas clean and sanitized.
 If food is to be stored longer than two hours, keep hot foods hot
(over 140°F) and cold foods cold (40°F or under).
 Store cooked food in a wide, shallow container and refrigerate as
soon as possible.
 The symptoms of Campylobacter infections were described
in 1886 in infants by Theodor Escherich.
 These infections were named cholera infantum, or summer
complaint.
 The genus was first discovered in 1963; however, the
organism was not isolated until 1972.
 Theodor Escherich
 (29 November 1857 – 15 February
1911) was a German-Austrian
pediatrician and a professor at
universities in Graz, and Vienna.
 He discovered the bacterium
Escherichia coli, which was named
after him in 1919, and determined its
properties.
 Campylobacter (meaning 'twisted bacteria') is a genus of bacteria
that are Gram-negative, spiral, and microaerophilic. Motile, with
either unipolar or bipolar flagella, the organisms have a
characteristic spiral appearance and are oxidase-positive.

 Campylobacter jejuni is now recognized as one of the main causes

of bacterial foodborne disease in many developed countries.

 At least a dozen species of Campylobacter have been implicated

in human disease, with C. jejuni and C. coli the most common.

 C. fetus is a cause of spontaneous abortions in cattle and sheep, as

well as an opportunistic pathogen in humans.
 Campylobacteriosis is an infection by Campylobacter. The
common routes of transmission are fecal-oral, ingestion of
contaminated food or water, and the eating of raw meat.
 It produces an inflammatory, sometimes bloody, diarrhea,
periodontitis or dysentery syndrome, mostly including cramps,
fever and pain.
 The infection is usually self-limiting and in most cases,
symptomatic treatment by liquid and electrolyte replacement is
enough in human infections.
 The use of antibiotics, on the other hand, is controversial.
Symptoms typically last for five to seven days.
 It is a problem because quite low numbers, i.e. 500 to
600 cells of the bacteria can cause illness.
 Symptoms can take 2 to 7 days to appear and are
gastrointestinal, lasting for about 5 days.
 A fever may also be present.
 A small number of people are left with a chronic
condition called Guillain Barre Syndrome which can
last for several weeks or months
(a disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system.)
 The sites of tissue injury include the jejunum, the
ileum, and the colon.
 Most strains of C jejuni produce a toxin (cytolethal
distending toxin) that hinders the cells from dividing
and activating the immune system.
 This helps the bacteria to avoid the immune system and
survive for a limited time in the cells.
 It was thought previously that a cholera-like
enterotoxin was also made, but this appears not to be
the case.
 The organism produces diffuse, bloody, edematous, and
exudative enteritis. Although rarely the infection has
been considered a cause of hemolytic uremic syndrome
and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, no clear
case reports exist.
 In some cases a campylobacter infection can be the
underlying cause of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
 Diagnosis of the illness is made by testing a specimen of faeces
(bowel motion).
 Quinolone antibiotics, as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin, are effective
therapy for Campylobacter enteritis, shortening the clinical course
by days, with a rapid improvement in patient well being.
 Dehydrated children may require intravenous (by vein) fluid
treatment in a hospital.
 The illness is contagious, and children must be kept at home until
they have been clear of symptoms for at least two days.
 Good hygiene is important to avoid contracting the illness or
spreading it to others.
 Intestinal perforation is very rare; increased abdominal pain and
collapse require immediate medical attention.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm
water
Before preparing, handling or eating foods.
After handling raw food especially meat or poultry.
As soon as possible after working, feeding, grooming or
playing with pets and other animals.
You should pay special attention to hygiene during farm
visits, washing hands after any contact with animals,
and eating only in designated areas.
After going to the toilet or changing a child’s nappy.
By ensuring young children wash their hands.
Handle food and drink safely
Thoroughly cook meat and poultry so that they are cooked all
the way through, and no blood runs from them.
Thaw frozen food properly before cooking.
Always reheat food thoroughly.
Do not use the same knives, chopping boards and equipment
for preparing raw foods and cooked or ready to eat foods.
Thoroughly clean knives, chopping boards and equipment
used for preparing raw foods with hot water and detergent
after each use.
Never put cooked food back on an unwashed plate previously
used for uncooked meat.
Do not wash raw poultry because this will splash germs
around.
 Store uncooked meat on the bottom of the fridge to avoid dripping
raw meat juices onto other food.
Wash all fruit, salads and vegetables that are to be eaten raw
Do not drink untreated water or unpasteurised milk.
Do not use ice or drinking water in countries where the water
supply might be unsafe.
Do not buy ready to eat foods from shops where you believe food
hygiene standards are poor.
Report such places to your local Environmental Health
Department
Do not prepare food for others until your diarrhoea and vomiting
symptoms have been stopped for 48 hours.
Make sure all members of your household wash their hands
thoroughly with soap and hot water after going to the toilet
and after handling soiled clothing or bedding
Make sure that everyone has their own towel and that they do
not use anybody else’s
Wash all soiled clothes, bedding and towels in the washing
machine on the hottest cycle that the manufacturer would
recommend
Clean toilet seats, toilet bowls, flush handles, taps and wash
hand basins after use with detergent and hot water, followed
by a household disinfectant.