Food Poisoning: Incubation Period

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Have you ever experienced food poisoning? Let’s see Food Poisoning: Incubation Period! We’ve all been there, one minute you are asleep and the next minute you are awake because of severe stomach cramps or abdominal pain because of food poisoning.

The first thing you want is to relieve the pain. The good news is that most people get better without any treatment and it recovers on its own, eventually few are facing mild to severe cramps and it usually goes away in a few days.

This content provides you with proper knowledge about food poisoning, its causes, and its symptoms. So, what causes food poisoning, and how can you prevent it?

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Overview

Food poisoning is also named a food-borne illness. Food poisoning happens when you eat or drink something that carries harmful germs (such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites).

Bacteria manufacture toxins (poisons of plants and animal origin, produced by microorganisms) in your food, and these toxins cause the problem. Food poisoning is caused by vomiting and diarrhea, and often this condition is resolved on its own, while the dehydration or imbalance of electrolytes may develop and your stomach gets upset.

Types of food poisoning

According to Centres For Disease Control CDC, 45-48 million people are ill due to food poisoning and the most common type of food poisoning bacteria are, Norovirus, Clostridium perfringens, staphylococcus aureus, salmonella, and campylobacter.

Norovirus

Countless cases of viral gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach) happen when many people have been eating, it is surely considered as food poisoning. Norovirus is also named Norwalk virus and it refers to a group of viruses that are found in your stool, vomiting, or infecting an individual.

This virus is tremendously contagious but not lethal and mostly passes after one or two days. The symptoms which appear due to this virus are vomiting, diarrhea, or cramping of the stomach.

Clostridium

Clostridium is mostly found in the soil and in the intestines of animals (including poultries, cattle, fish, and humans). Food poisoning is caused by clostridium bacteria is important to know because these bacteria are commonly found in the environment.

An individual can get clostridium food poisoning due to poor food handling practices in the home, in factories, or in a food outlet, mostly relating to cooking, storage, and refrigeration temperatures.
The symptoms of clostridium food poisoning appear about 12 hours after eating the contaminated (dirty) food and it may include pain, diarrhea, and sometimes nausea and vomiting.

Staphylococcus

Staphylococcus bacteria are commonly found on your skin, sores (canker sores), infected eyes, in the nose, throat, saliva, and bowel of humans. Their bacteria appear in the yellow mucus which comes from your nose or coughs up when a person has a cold or any lung infections.

Staphylococci bacteria usually do not cause illness until they get on your food than grow and multiply itself. However, they produce a toxin (poison) and this toxin causes the illness. The toxin is generally not destroyed by cooking the food.

Symptoms of staphylococcus bacteria in food poisoning appear between 1-8 hours after eating the infected food.

Salmonella

There are numerous different types of salmonella bacteria but not all salmonella are harmful to human health. Salmonella is found mainly in the intestines, bowels, and feces of humans and animals. An individual can get salmonella food poisoning because of:

Poor food handling in-home or outlet of food.
Due to seafood because of polluted water.
Due to unwashed meals or poultries.

Salmonella food poisoning usually takes up to 48 hours to develop or grow after eating food, and it may include nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, headache, or fever, or it may last for 3-30days.

Campylobacter

The campylobacter bacteria are mostly found in many animals (including dogs, cats, cattle, and poultry). The sources of infection from campylobacter are usually contaminated food and water. An individual get this campylobacter food poisoning bacteria from:

Contact with infected animals
Poor food handling
Ingestion of contaminated food

Campylobacter food poisoning symptoms mostly last from 2-5 days and the symptoms include diarrhea, severe abdominal pain or cramp, vomiting, and fever.

More serious types of Food poisoning

Some bacteria from food poisoning cause serious illness and make you very sick, and can even cause death. These are:

Escherichia coli (E.coli)

Escherichia coli is a type of bacteria that is found in the intestines of animals. You can also get this from undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk (which is not pasteurized to kill dangerous bacteria), sprouts, or any food or liquid that has contact with animal feces or sewage. E.coli bacteria lead to severe food poisoning which harms human immunity and sometimes it may lead to death.

Listeria

Listeria is a foodborne illness and also named listeriosis and it may not show any signs for a couple of weeks. Listeria is an unusual bacterium and it can grow in cold temperatures (such as in the refrigerator). Listeria is found in smoked fish, raw (unpasteurized) cheeses, and ice cream. An individual with listeria had to face fever, vomiting, and gastrointestinal pain.

What causes food poisoning?

Common causes of food poisoning are bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, and allergens.

Bacteria and Viruses: Bacteria and viruses are the most common cause of food poisoning. The symptoms and seriousness of food poisoning vary and it depends on the bacteria or virus which has contaminated your food.
Parasites: Parasites are those organisms that obtain nourishment, sustenance, and protection from other living organisms that are named hosts.
Mold and Contaminants: Most food poisoning is caused by toxic (poisonous) substances in the food. But in some cases, food poisoning can be linked to natural toxins or chemical toxins.
Allergens: Allergy to food is an abnormal response in which the food is triggered by your body’s immune system or immunity. Some foods (such as nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans) can cause allergic reactions in people with food allergies.

Good to Know

The microbes (organisms that cause diseases) are spread to food at any time while the food is grown, harvested, processed, stored, or prepared. The harmful microbes already are present in your food when you buy them.

The foods that contain microbes include fresh produce, raw or under-cooked meat, dairy products, fresh juices (that have not been pasteurized), processed and ready-to-eat meats (such as hot dogs, and foods that are not properly sealed and it may cause food poisoning). To prevent these microbes you may cover the food well properly, cook your food properly, and keep your food in refrigerators.

What Symptoms appear when you have Food Poisoning?

The symptoms of food poisoning may range from mild to severe, and it may vary depending on the germs and the contaminated food you swallowed. The most common symptoms of food poisoning include:

Upset stomach
Abdominal pain or cramp
Stomach cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Fever
Dehydration

Some serious long-term effects correlated with several types of food poisoning and it may include,

Kidney failure
Chronic arthritis (inflammation of joints)
Brain and nerve damage
Death

How to prevent Food poisoning?

You can take a few simple and easy steps to avoid or stay away from food poisoning:

You should wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.
Clean your countertops, dining table, breakfast bar, cutting boards, knives, and all utensils before exposing them to different food items.
Wash your hands gently after every kitchen or food outlet work.
Don’t put cooked meats on the same plate, use clean ones.
If your knives have been used to cut or chop up uncooked chicken, kindly do not use them to cut up other ingredients.
Cook your meat thoroughly. Make sure your beef is cooked at least 160°F, chicken at 180°F, and fish at 140°F.
Do not use any packaged food that has expired.
Don’t eat wild mushrooms cause they can upset your stomach.
If you are pregnant or have a weak immune system, don’t eat soft cheeses.

Treatment of Food Poisoning

Most food poisoning is mild and clears up in a few hours or days. Large amounts of electrolytes and fluids are lost through diarrhea and vomiting. To treat food poisoning you can do the following:

Control nausea or vomiting

You should avoid eating solid foods until your vomiting ends. You may eat light and bland foods, (such as saltine crackers, bananas, biscuits, rice, or bread).
Don’t eat any fried, spicy, or heavy foods which make your stomach more irritating. Sipping liquids may help to avoid vomiting.
Remember: You should not take any anti-nausea or anti-diarrhea medication without a prescription from your doctor because it has many side effects and can make your condition worse.

Prevent dehydration

Large amounts of fluids are lost through vomiting and diarrhea that’s why treatment of food poisoning focuses on preventing dehydration. You should drink plenty of fluids, eventually if you have trouble keeping them down.
If you can bear fluids without any vomiting or diarrhea, you add bland food to your diet. While using fluids you’re vomiting or diarrhea can’t persist. You should contact your doctor and they will prescribe medications to suppress your nausea. People with severe types of dehydration may need to be hospitalized.
The main goal is to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. If this can be prevented by avoiding spice, and drinking excess fluids so it’s good and once you feel better you may eat and drink again but try to eat bland foods. If it is not treated in this way, you should go to your doctor.

When to call a doctor?

If symptoms appear last for more than 3-5 hours then you should call a doctor immediately or if you have,
Severe belly, and abdominal pain
Fever or impaired immune system
Bloody diarrhea or dark stools
Vomiting that is prolonged or bloody in your mucus last more than 24 hours
Burning maturation or decrease in urine
Fatigueness, accompanied by a feeling of extreme weakness, dizziness, or tachycardia
If you are pregnant, you may not wait to notice any symptoms and are immediately concerned with your doctor.

Before you leave!

Food poisoning is a reaction due to contaminated food, or water during improper cooking, handling, or storage. The most common type of bacteria, such as salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli, and other contaminants including viruses, parasites, and toxins can cause food poisoning. Food poisoning usually leads to diarrhea, vomiting, and electrolyte imbalance but it may cure by handling proper hygiene, and drinking plenty of water to balance your electrolytes.