| Introduction: | | | | poisonings here vomiting and diarrhoea are |
| | | | rare Mainly the nervous system is |
| Food poisoning is an acute gastroenteritis | | | | affected.The symptoms starts with double |
| caused by the consumption of a food material | | | | vision,numbness with weakness.Later there |
| or a drink which contains the pathogenic | | | | will be paralysis with cardiac and |
| micro organism or their toxins or poisonous | | | | respiratory failure ending in death. |
| chemicals.Food poisoning is common in | | | | |
| hostels,hotels,communal feedings, and | | | | 3) Staphylococcal food poisoning: |
| festivel seasons. | | | | |
| | | | It is caused by staphylo coccus aureus. These |
| A group of persons will be affected with same | | | | organisms usually cause skin troubles like |
| type of symptoms ,and they give a history of | | | | boils and eruptions.It causes mastitis in |
| consumption of a common food before few | | | | cow.Through the milk and milk products it |
| hours. | | | | enders and causes gastroenteritis.There will |
| | | | be vomiting,abdominal cramps with diarrhoea. |
| Types of food poisoning | | | | |
| | | | 4) Closteridium food poisoning: |
| 1) Bacterial food poisoning: | | | | |
| | | | This is caused by closteridium |
| Here the micro organisms called bacteria are | | | | perfringens.They are present in stool,soil |
| responsible.The food material may contain the | | | | and water. They enter the body |
| pathogenic bacteriae or their toxin and will | | | | through,meat,meat dishes and egg ect.If food |
| be ingested along with the food. | | | | articles are cooked and kept in room |
| | | | temperature for a long time and heated again |
| 2) Non bacterial food poisoning: | | | | before eating can result this food |
| | | | poisoning.Symptoms include vomiting |
| Due to the presence of toxic chemicals like | | | | ,diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. |
| fertilizers,insectisides,heavy metals and | | | | |
| ect. | | | | 5) Bacillus cereus: |
| | | | |
| Since bacterial food poisoning is common it | | | | The spores of these organisms can survive |
| is discussed here. | | | | cooking and causes enteritis. Diarrhoea and |
| | | | vomiting is common in this infection. |
| Bacterial food poisoning: | | | | |
| | | | How to investigate food poisoning? |
| All bacteria are not harmful.There are some | | | | |
| pathogenic bacteria which secrete toxins and | | | | 1) Examine each and every person affected. |
| cause clinical manifestations.These organisms | | | | |
| enter the human body through food articles or | | | | 2) Water sample should be tested. |
| drinks. | | | | |
| | | | 3) Kitchen, store room and food samples |
| How food poisoning occures: | | | | should be examined. |
| | | | |
| 1) Presence of bacteria in the water. | | | | 4) The cook and food handlers should be |
| | | | questioned and examined. |
| 2) The raw materials for the food may contain | | | | |
| toxins. | | | | 5) Samples of vomitus and stool of all |
| | | | victims should be tested to identify the |
| 3) Premises where the food is prepared may | | | | bacteria. |
| contain micro organisms or toxins. | | | | |
| | | | How to prevent food poisoning:- |
| 4) Food handlers may have some infectious | | | | |
| diseases. | | | | 1) Only purified water should be used. |
| | | | |
| 5) Some animals like dogs,rats may | | | | 2) Hygiene should be maintained by all |
| contaminate the food. | | | | persons keeping contact with food. |
| | | | |
| 6) If prepared food is kept in the room | | | | 3) Workers should use masks, cap and gloves |
| temperature for a long time and heated again | | | | during cooking and serving. |
| can make a chance for food poisoning. | | | | |
| | | | 4) Sick individuals should not come in |
| 7) Purposely some body mixing toxins in the | | | | contact with food materials. |
| food. | | | | |
| | | | 5) Kitchen and premises should be neat and |
| Some common bacterial food poisonings. | | | | clean. |
| | | | |
| 1) Salmonella food poisoning: | | | | 5) Vessels should be washed with soap and hot |
| | | | water. |
| There are three different varieties of | | | | |
| salmonella bacteria.(salmonella | | | | 6) Should not keep the prepared food for a |
| typhimurium,salmonella cholera | | | | long time in room temperature. |
| suis,salmonella enteritidis) These bacteria | | | | |
| are present in milk, milk products and eggs. | | | | 7) All food materials should be kept in |
| Symptoms of this food poisoning include | | | | closed containers. |
| nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Fever is | | | | |
| also common. | | | | 8) Animals like dog, cat, rat ect should not |
| | | | come in contact with food materials. |
| 2) Botulism: | | | | |
| | | | 9) Vegetables should be washed before |
| This is the dangerous type of food poisoning | | | | cooking. |
| caused by clostridium botulinum. The spores | | | | |
| of these organisms are seen in the soil and | | | | 10) Meat should be fresh and should be |
| enters the human body through pickles and | | | | purchased from recognised slaughter house. |
| canned fish ect.Compared to other food | | | | |