Micro-433 Assignment

Submitted to: Submitted by:

Mrs. Gulab Pandove Lokesh Kumar

L-2010-A-34-B.Tech FT
 INTRODUCTION
Food poisoning is a common, usually mild, but sometimes deadly illness. Typical
symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea that occur
suddenly (within 48 hours) after consuming a contaminated food or drink. Depending on
the contaminant, fever and chills, bloody stools, dehydration, and nervous system
damage may follow. These symptoms may affect one person or a group of people who
ate the same thing (called an outbreak).

It is estimated that about 11 million Canadians experience food poisoning each year.
People at greatest risk for food poisoning are seniors, pregnant women, young children
and babies, and people with chronic medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, AIDS, liver
disease)

CAUSES
More than 250 known diseases can be transmitted through food. The CDC estimates
unknown or undiscovered agents cause 68% of all food-borne illnesses and related
hospitalizations. Many cases of food poisoning are not reported because people suffer
mild symptoms and recover quickly. Also, doctors do not test for a cause in every
suspected case because it does not change the treatment or the outcome.

The known causes of food poisoning can be divided into two categories: infectious
agents and toxic agents.

Infectious agents include viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

Toxic agents include poisonous mushrooms, improperly prepared exotic foods (such
as barracuda - ciguatera toxin), or pesticides on fruits and vegetables.

Food usually becomes contaminated from poor sanitation or preparation. Food handlers
who do not wash their hands after using the bathroom or have infections themselves
often cause contamination. Improperly packaged food stored at the wrong temperature
also promotes contamination.
 TYPES
Campylobacter is a bacterium that causes acute diarrhoea. Transmission usually occurs through
ingestion of contaminated food, water, or unpasteurized milk, or through contact with infected infants,
pets, or wild animals.
Symptoms of campylobacter include:

Diarrhoea (sometimes bloody)

Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal pain and/or cramping
Malaise (general uneasiness)
Fever

What Is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can be passed on to humans from domestic and wild animals,
including poultry, pigs, cattle, and pets. But most often, it is caused by drinking unpasteurized milk or by
eating undercooked poultry and poultry products such as eggs. Any food prepared on surfaces
contaminated by raw chicken or turkey can also become tainted with salmonella. Less often, the illness
may stem from food contaminated by a food worker.
Salmonella can escape from the intestine and go into the blood and travel to other organs. It may become
a chronic infection in some people, who can be symptom-free yet capable of spreading the disease to
others.
Salmonella infections occur worldwide, but it is most extensively reported in North America and Europe.
Symptoms of salmonella include acute onset of:

Fever
Abdominal pain
diarrhoea
Nausea
Vomiting (sometimes)

These symptoms, along with loss of appetite, can persist for several days.
What Is Shigella?

Shigella is a bacteria generally transmitted through feces. It causes dysentery, an infection of the
intestines causing severe diarrhoea. The disease generally occurs in tropical or temperate climates,
especially under conditions of crowding, where personal hygiene is poor.
Symptoms of shigella include:

Bloody diarrhea
Fever
Nausea
Vomiting
 Cramps

What Is E. Coli O157:H7?

E. coli O157:H7 is a growing cause of foodborne illness. An estimated 73,000 cases of these E. coli
infections occur in the U.S. every year, according to the CDC.
Most E. coli O157:H7 infections have been associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground
beef. Drinking unpasteurized milk and swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water can also
cause infection. Bacteria from stools of infected people can be passed to others if less than adequate
hygiene or hand-washing habits are present. Young children often continue to shed the organism in their
feces for a week or two after their illness resolves.
Symptoms of E.coli infection can include severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps, but sometimes
the infection causes non-bloody diarrhea, a slight fever, or no symptoms at all.
What Is Listeria Infection?

Listeria is a bacteria primarily found in soil and water. According to the CDC, vegetables can become
contaminated from soil or from manure used as fertilizer. Animals carrying the bacterium can also
contaminate food. Listeria has been found in many types of uncooked foods, such as meats and
vegetables, as well as in processed foods that become contaminated after processing, such as soft
cheeses (like feta and crumbled blue cheese) and cold cuts.
Unpasteurized milk or foods made from unpasteurized milk may also be sources of listeria infection.
Listeria is killed by pasteurization, and heating procedures used to prepare ready-to-eat processed meats
should be sufficient to kill the bacterium. However, unless good manufacturing practices are followed,
contamination can occur even after processing.
According to the CDC, an estimated 2,500 people in the U.S. become seriously ill from a listeria infection
each year, and of these, 500 will die. The CDC reports that those at increased risk for developing
listeriosis include:

Pregnant women.
People with weakened immune systems.
People with cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease.
People with AIDS.
People, such as those with asthma, who take steroid medications.
The elderly.

Symptoms of a listeria infection can include:

Fever
Muscle aches
Nausea
Diarrhea

If listeria infection spreads to the nervous system (brain and spinal cord), the following symptoms can
occur:

Headache
Stiff neck
 Confusion
Loss of balance
Convulsions

Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness; however, infection during
pregnancy can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. There is no routine
screening test to find out if you are likely to contract listeria infection during pregnancy. If you have
symptoms of listeriosis, consult your doctor immediately.
What Is Botulism?

The bacterium Clostridium botulinum is responsible for causing the rare but serious illness botulism.
According to the CDC, the three main types of botulism are foodborne, wound, and infant botulism.
Foodborne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin. Wound botulism, which is
very rare, is caused by a toxin produced from a wound infected with C. botulinum. Infant botulism is
caused by consuming the spores of botulinum bacteria, which grow in a child's intestines.
All forms of botulism can be deadly and are considered medical emergencies.
Symptoms of botulism include:

Blurred vision
Double vision
Droopy eyelids
Slowed or slurred speech
Difficulty swallowing
Dry mouth
Muscle weakness

In infants with botulism the symptoms include:

Poor feeding habits

Constipation
Weak crying
Lethargy
Poor muscle tone

If these symptoms are untreated, they may lead to paralysis of the arms, legs, trunk, and respiratory
muscles. Symptoms of foodborne botulism usually develop 18 to 36 hours after consuming contaminated
food, but symptoms can occur as early as six hours or as late as a week to 10 days.
How Is Botulism Diagnosed and Treated?

A diagnosis of botulism is made by the presence of appropriate symptoms of nerve weakness and by lab
tests that detect the toxin or by culture of C. botulinum from the person's stool.
The respiratory failure (inability to breathe) and paralysis that occur with severe botulism may require
intensive medical and nursing care in a hospital.
If diagnosed in its early stages, foodborne botulism can be treated with an antitoxin medication.
Your doctor may also try to remove any contaminated food left in the digestive system by inducing
vomiting or by using enemas.
Infants infected with the bacteria require hospitalization and possibly care in an intensive care unit. The
botulism antitoxin is not recommended for infants.
How Can Botulism Be Prevented?

Although there are very few cases of botulism poisoning each year, prevention is extremely important.
According to the CDC, foodborne botulism has often been linked to home-canned foods with a low acid
content. These foods include asparagus, green beans, beets, and corn. People have also become
infected from other sources including chopped garlic in oil, chili peppers, tomatoes, improperly handled
baked potatoes cooked in aluminum foil, and home-canned or fermented fish (such as sardines).
Persons who can their own food should follow strict canning procedures to reduce contamination of
foods.
Honey should not be given to children younger than 12 months of age, as it can contain spores of C.
botulinum and is known to cause infant botulism.