Food poisoning occurs when bacteria, parasites, viruses, or toxins produced by these germs are ingested through contaminated food or water. Common causes of food poisoning include bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, and Staphylococcus. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and pain, fever, and dehydration. Treatment focuses on replacing lost fluids and electrolytes. Prevention involves thoroughly cooking foods and practicing good hygiene.

1. What is Food Poisoning?
By: Aishu Anand

2. What is Food Poisoning?
• “Food poisoning occurs when you swallow
food or water that contains bacteria,
parasites, viruses, or toxins made by these
germs. Most cases of food poisoning are from
common bacteria such as Staphylococcus or E.
coli.”
• Food poisoning is caused when your body
receives contaminated food, bacteria's,
viruses’, and parasites’ toxins.

3. Causes
• Bacteria infect the intestines, • Some examples of bacteria are:
causing inflammation and – Campylobacter
problems with normal absorption – Staphylococcus aureus
of food and water.
• They produce toxins that are – Eschericia coli (E. coli)
poisonous to the human body – Shigella
system. – Clostridium botulinum
• “When ingested, these chemicals – Clostridium perfringens
can lead to nausea and vomiting, – Giardia lamblia
kidney failure, and even death.” – Hepatitis A
– Listeria
– Noroviruses
– Rotavirus
– Salmonella
– Vibrio vulnificus

4. Transmission
• “Campylobacter is the world's • “Eschericia coli (E. coli) causes
most commonly identified food– large amounts of watery diarrhea
borne bacterial infection. It is and then turns into bloody diarrhea.
transmitted by water There are many different types of
this bacterium but the worst strain
contaminated by animal feces
can cause kidney failure and death.
raw poultry, and raw milk.”
It is transmitted by eating raw or
• “Staphylococcus aureus is undercooked hamburger,
transmitted in foods such as unpasteurized milk/juices,
cream–filled cakes and pies, contaminated well water/produce.”
salads (potato, macaroni, egg, • “Shigella which is know as
and tuna salads, for example) and traveler’s diarrhea, can cause
dairy products. Contaminated diarrhea containing blood or mucus
potato salad at a picnic is a classic or both, and the constant urge to
and occurs when the food is not have bowel movements. It is
chilled properly.” transmitted in water polluted with
• “Hepatitis A can be spread from human wastes”
an infected food handeler
working with raw/ready-to-eat
produce.”

5. Bacteria Start of Disease Means of Transmission
Campylobacter 2-5 days Meat, poultry, contaminated
water, unpasteurized milk, etc.
Clostridium botulinum 12-72 hours Canned food and food kept at
warm temperatures for too
long.
Clostridium perfringens 8-16 hours Meats, stews, gravies, or when
food is chilled too slowly.
Escherichia coli (E. Coli) 1-8 days Undercooked beef,
unpasteurized liquids, etc.
Giardia lamblia 1-2 weeks Raw food, or contaminated
water.
Hepatitis A 28 days Raw food and shellfish from
contaminated water.
Listeria 9-48 hours Luncheon meats,
unpasteurized liquids.
Norovirus 12-48 hours See Giardia lamblia
Rotavirus 1-3 days See above

6. Bacteria Start of Disease Means of Transmission
Shigella 24-48 hours See Giardia lamblia
Staphylococcus aureus 1-6 hours Cream sauces and cream filled
pastries. Spread by contact
Vibro Vulnoficus 1-7 days Raw/undercooked sea
food/water.

7. Symptoms
• Symptoms usually start • Consult your doctor is you
within a few hours of eating experience the following:
the food or drinking the – Often vomiting (blood
fluid. The time duration sometimes)
varies, depending on the – Diarrhea for a few days
type of food poisoning. – Blood in your bowel
movements
• Some symptoms include
– Abdominal cramps/pain
having abdominal cramps,
– Dehydration (little
diarrhea (sometimes may urination/dizziness/weakness
be bloody), fever, chills, /etc.)
headache, nausea, – Double vision
vomiting, weakness (may be – Muscle weakness that gets
very serious) worse.

8. Treatment
• Make sure you replace your • Resort to hospitalization should
body’s fluids and minerals, such occur if there is vomiting blood,
as sodium, potassium, and yellow eyes or skin, problems
calcium that maintain your body’s breathing, a swollen abdomen,
fluid balance. swollen joints, or a sharp
• You doctor may prescribe you abdominal pain that lasts for
medicine. Make sure you take more than 15 minutes.
these, even if you feel well after a
couple of days.
• Stop eating and drinking for a few
hours to let your stomach settle
down.
• Take small sips of water. Infected
adults should try to drink up to
16 glasses of water per day.
• Avoid certain foods/drinks until
you’re well enough.

9. Preventing Food Poisoning
• Make sure that food from animal • Be careful to keep juices or drippings
sources (meat, dairy, eggs) is cooked from raw meat, poultry, shellfish, or
thoroughly or pasteurized. Using a eggs from contaminating other foods.
thermometer is recommended. • Do not leave eggs, meats, poultry,
• Avoid eating raw or undercooked seafood, or milk for extended periods
meats and eggs. Check expiration of time at room temperature.
dates on meats before purchasing Promptly refrigerate leftovers and
and again before preparing. food prepared in advance.
• Don’t defrost food in room • Wash your hands, cutting boards, and
temperature! Instead, use the knives with antibacterial soap and
‘defrost’ option on your microwave. warm to hot water after handling raw
• Make sure that your food is cooked at meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
a safe temperature. When cooking to Wooden cutting boards are not
the right temperature, you kill most recommended since they can be
of the harmful organisms living on harder to clean completely.
the substance.

10. Examples
Most Common Food
Poisoning Symptoms
Campylobacter Bacteria

11. The Bacteria’s Cycle
• Most prokaryotes reproduce asexually through a process
called binary fission. During binary fission, the single DNA
molecule replicates and the original cell is divided into two
identical cells. Binary fission begins with the single DNA
molecule replicating and both copies attaching to the cell
membrane.
• Next, the cell membrane begins to grow between the two
DNA molecules. Once the bacterium just about doubles its
original size, the cell membrane begins to pinch inward.
• A cell wall then forms between the two DNA molecules
dividing the original cell into two identical daughter cells.

12. Bibliography
• http://www.mayoclinic.com
• http://www.aboutfoodpoisoning.com/how-long-does-
food-poisoning-last.html
• http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/food
-poisoning/overview.html
• http://www.medical-library.net/content/view/526/41
• http://pediatrics.about.com/od/safety/a/food_poisoni
ng.htm
• http://biology.about.com/od/cellanatomy/ss/prokaryot
es_2.htm