An acute gastrointestinal or neurologic disorder caused by bacteria or their toxic products, by viruses, or by harmful chemicals in foods.
Bacteria may produce food poisoning by three means: (1) they infect the individual following consumption of the contaminated food; (2) they produce a toxin in food before it is consumed; or (3) they produce toxin in the gastrointestinal tract after the individual consumes the contaminated food.
Infectious bacteria associated with food poisoning include Brucella, Campylobacter jejuni, enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, enterohemorrhagic E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, and Yersinia enterocolitica. These organisms must be ingested for poisoning to occur, and in many instances only a few cells need be consumed to initiate a gastrointestinal infection. Salmonella and C. jejuni are the most prevalent causes of food-borne bacterial infections. See Yersinia
Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium botulinum are bacteria responsible for food poisonings resulting from ingestion of preformed toxin. Staphylococcus aureus produces heat-stable toxins that remain active in foods after cooking. Clostridium botulinum produces one of the most potent toxins known. Botulinal toxin causes neuromuscular paralysis, often resulting in respiratory failure and death. See Botulism, Staphylococcus, Toxin
Food-poisoning bacteria that produce toxin in the gastrointestinal tract following their ingestion include Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, enterotoxigenic E. coli, and V. cholerae. Bacillus cereus and C. perfringens are spore-forming bacteria that often survive cooking and grow to large numbers in improperly refrigerated foods. Following ingestion, their cells release enterotoxins in the intestinal tract. Enterotoxigenic E. coli is a leading cause of travelers' diarrhea. See Escherichia
Viruses that cause food-borne disease generally emanate from the human intestine and contaminate food through mishandling by an infected individual, or by way of water or sewage contaminated with human feces. Hepatitis A virus and Norwalk-like virus are the preeminent viruses associated with food-borne illness. See Hepatitis
Chemical-induced food poisoning is generally characterized by a rapid onset of symptoms which include nausea and vomiting. Foods contaminated with high levels of heavy metals, insecticides, or pesticides have caused illness following ingestion. See Medical bacteriology
any acute and often widespread infectious disease that results from the ingestion of food containing certain pathogenic microorganisms or their toxins. Food poisoning can be caused by Clostridium botulinum; members of the genus Salmonella; staphylococci; or colon, paracolon, or dysentery bacilli.
Salmonella poisoning is the most common form. It results from the consumption of contaminated eggs, egg products, meat, and meat and fish products, including finely ground meat, gelatin, jellied dishes, fish stuffing, and low-grade boiled sausages, for example, liver and blood sausages. Less commonly, milk and dairy products become contaminated. Salmonella poisoning is manifested by acute gastroenterocolitis.
Food poisoning by the colon bacillus develops from eating salads, fish, various types of stuffings, or cutlets that have been infected after preparation because of gross negligence with respect to quality and storage regulations. Colon bacillus infections are mild, lasting from one to three days and producing symptoms of gastroenteritis.
Staphylococcal food poisoning is generally caused by enterotoxin-producing cocci. The main sources of the staphylococci are persons suffering from tonsillitis, rhinitis, furunculosis, or pyoderma; healthy human carriers; and dairy cattle affected with mastitis. Staphylococcal food poisoning can result from eating milk and sour-milk products, cream-filled pastry, or—less commonly—meat, fish, and canned food. Foods contaminated by staphylococci and contain enterotoxin do not differ in appearance, odor, or taste from uncontaminated foods. With prompt treatment, the course of staphylococcal food poisoning is similar to that of a brief attack of acute gastroenterocolitis that lasts from one to three days. The disease may be fatal in children.
Food poisoning can be prevented by strict observance of sanitary, hygienic, and veterinary regulations for the transport, preparation, storage, and sale of foodstuffs and prepared dishes. Preventive checkups for food-industry workers help detect bacteria carriers. Victims of food poisoning must be hospitalized and subsequently must return to a clinic for subsequent checkups.
O. S. RADBIL’
a term used to describe gastrointestinal disorders caused by the consumption of foods that are toxic in nature or that contain bacterial poisons or toxic impurities.
Disorders caused by food poisoning are noncontagious, have a sudden onset, and are short-lived. Bacterial food poisoning is called intoxication or alimentary toxinfection. Nonbacterial food poisoning is often caused by poisonous mushrooms and by the seeds, roots, leaves, and berries of poisonous plants. The most severe and potentially fatal food poisoning results from the ingestion of poison hemlock roots. Children are often poisoned by belladonna berries, which resemble cherries, and by henbane seeds, which somewhat resemble poppy seeds. Some cultivated plants may also be poisonous. The bitter kernels of apricots, peaches, almonds, and cherries contain the glycoside amygdalin, which is split by the action of enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract, forming prussic acid, which causes food poisoning. Fresh or insufficiently cooked beans of the genus Phaseolus, which contain the toxin phaseolunatin, and potatoes that have sprouted or developed a green tinge, which contain a large quantity of the glycoalkaloid solanine, may also cause food poisoning.
Nonbacterial food poisoning caused by fish or meat is very rare. The consumption of some toxic fishes, for example, the Balkhash marinka (Schizothorax argentatus), may cause food poisoning. Ergotism and alimentary toxic aleukia are regarded as forms of food poisoning.
The organic and inorganic chemicals most commonly causing food poisoning are arsenic, copper, and sodium nitride. Arsenic poisoning may result from accidentally consuming arsenic-treated seeds and foods made from them or from inadvertently storing and transporting food and arsenic in the same container. Sodium nitride poisoning occurs when this compound is accidently used instead of salt or saltpeter in food preparation or in home canning. Food poisoning from copper compounds results from the use of copper pots that are not lined with tin or that are badly lined.
The symptoms caused by food poisoning are similar to those of gastroenterocolitis. Among the means for preventing food poisoning are education of the population and regular inspection of utensils used in institutions that prepare and serve food.
O. S. RADBIL’