Organisms That Can
Bug You
| BACTERIA |
| Disease
& Organism That Causes It |
Source
of Illness |
Symptoms |
Botulism
Botulinum toxin (produced
by Clostridium botulinum bacteria) |
Spores of these bacteria
are widespread. But these bacteria produce toxin only in an anaerobic
(oxygen-less) environment of little acidity. Found in a considerable
variety of improperly canned or home-canned foods, such as corn, green
beans, soups, beets, asparagus, mushrooms, tuna, and liver paté. Also
in luncheon meats, ham, sausage, garlic in oil, and smoked and salted
fish. |
Onset: Generally 4-36
hours after eating. Neurotoxic symptoms, including double vision,
inability to swallow, speech difficulty, and progressive paralysis
of the respiratory system. Get medical help immediately. Botulism
can be fatal. |
Campylobacteriosis
Campylobacter
jejuni |
Bacteria on poultry,
cattle, and sheep can contaminate meat and milk of these animals.
Chief food sources: raw poultry, meat, and unpasteurized milk.
|
Onset: Generally 2-5
days after eating. Diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever, and sometimes
bloody stools. Lasts 7-10 days. |
E. coli infection
Escherichia
coli O157:H7 |
Bacteria in meat, especially
raw or undercooked ground beef, raw milk, contaminated water, unpasteurized
ciders and juices, and on produce. |
Onset: A few days after
eating. Bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps, dehydration, colitis,
neurological symptoms, stroke, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS),
which can cause permanent kidney damage or failure and death. Lasts
4-15 days. |
Listeriosis
Listeria
monocytogenes |
Found in soft cheese,
unpasteurized milk, raw or undercooked meat, hot dogs, poultry and
fish; and ready-to-eat foods like luncheon meats, cold cuts, fermented
and dry sausage, and other deli-style meat and poultry. The Listeria
bacteria resist heat, salt, nitrite, and acidity better than many
other microorganisms. They survive and grow at low temperatures. |
Onset: From 7-30 days
after eating, but most symptoms have been reported 48-72 hours after
consumption of contaminated food. Fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting.
Primarily affects pregnant women and their fetuses, newborns, the
elderly, people with cancer, and those with impaired immune systems.
Can cause fetal and infant death. |
Perfringens
foodborne illness
Closidium
perfringens |
In most instances, caused
by failure to keep food hot. A few organisms are often present after
cooking and multiply to toxic levels during slow cool-down and storage
of prepared foods. Meats and meat products are most frequently implicated.
These organisms grow better than other bacteria between 49 and 54
degrees Celsius (120-130° Fahrenheit). So gravies and stuffing
must be kept above 60° C (140° F) and cooled rapidly when
being refrigerated. |
Onset: Generally 8-12
hours after eating. Abdominal pain and diarrhea, and sometimes nausea
and vomiting. Symptoms last a day or less and are usually mild. Can
be more serious in older or debilitated people. |
Salmonellosis
Salmonella
bacteria |
Raw meats, poultry, eggs,
milk and other dairy products, shrimp, frog legs, fresh produce, sprouts,
unpasteurized orange juice, coconut, chocolate, and foods containing
raw eggs. |
Onset: Generally 6-48
hours after eating. Nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, and
headache. All age groups are susceptible, but symptoms are most severe
for the elderly, the infirm, and infants. |
Shigellosis
(bacillary dysentery)
Shigella
bacteria |
Food becomes contaminated
when a human carrier does not wash hands after using the toilet and
then handles liquid or moist food that is not cooked thoroughly afterwards.
|
Onset: l-7 days after
eating. Abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, sometimes vomiting, and
blood, pus or mucus in stools. |
Staphylococcal
foodborne illness
Staphylococcal enterotoxin
(produced by Staphylococcus aureus
bacteria) |
Toxin produced when food
contaminated with the bacteria is left too long unrefrigerated. Meats,
ham, poultry, egg products, tuna, potato and macaroni salads, and
cream-filled pastries are good environments for these bacteria to
produce toxin. |
Onset: Generally 30 minutes
to 8 hours after eating. Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain,
cramps, and prostration. Lasts 24-48 hours. Rarely fatal. |
Vibrio infection
Vibrio vulnificus
|
The bacteria live in coastal waters
and can infect humans either through open wounds or through consumption
of raw contaminated seafood (oysters, clams). The bacteria are most
numerous in warm weather. |
Onset: Abrupt. Chills, fever,
and/or prostration. At high risk are people with liver disease, low
gastric (stomach) acid, and weakened immune systems. |
| Vibrio parahaemolyticus |
The bacteria live in coastal waters
and can infect humans through consumption of raw contaminated seafood
(oysters, clams). The bacteria are most numerous in warm weather.
|
Onset: 4 hours to 4 days after
eating. Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever,
and chills. Lasts about 2½ days. |
| PROTOZOA |
Cyclosporiasis
Cyclospora cayetanensis
|
Source is unknown,
but it's suspected that parasites in the water that is used to apply
pesticides to crops contaminate foods such as berries, other fruit,
raw vegetables, and basil. |
Onset: About 2 days.
Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Lasts 1 week to
2 months. |
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidium parvum
|
Generally associated with parasites
in sewage, contaminated water that gets on food, and not washing hands
after using the toilet. |
Onset: 1-12 days. Profuse watery
diarrhea, abdominal pain, appetite loss, vomiting, and low-grade fever.
|
Giardiasis
Giardia lamblia
|
Most frequently associated
with consumption of contaminated water, including that in swimming
pools. May be transmitted by uncooked foods that become contaminated
while growing or after cooking by infected food workers. Cool, moist
conditions favor organism's survival. |
Onset: 1-3 days. Sudden onset
of explosive watery stools, abdominal cramps, anorexia, nausea, and
vomiting. Especially infects hikers, children, travelers, and institutionalized
patients. |
| VIRUSES |
Hepatitis
Hepatitis A virus
|
Mollusks (oysters,
clams, mussels, and cockles) become contaminated when their beds are
polluted by untreated sewage. Raw shellfish are especially susceptible,
although cooking does not always kill the virus. |
Onset: Begins with
malaise, appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, and fever. After 3-10 days
patient develops jaundice with darkened urine. Severe cases can cause
liver damage and death. |
Norovirus gastroenteritis
Noroviruses (also known as Norwalk-like
viruses; Norwalk, Hawaii, Snow Mountain, Taunton viruses; caliciviruses)
|
Sources of contamination include
human feces, raw shellfish from polluted waters, and ready-to-eat
foods (salads, sandwiches) prepared by an infected person. |
Onset: 1-2 days. Nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, and low-grade fever. Lasts about
36 hours. |
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