Food Poisoning

We have started to learn Gastrointestinal Infections last week and about to have an inside classroom picnic the coming Wednesday. In the picnic, our group has an assignment to talk about the food poisoning. Here is some information I prepared for the picnic session. 

Food poisoning is a common, sometimes life-threatening gastrointestinal illness which results from foodborne microorganisms, parasites, or chemicals. There are millions of people in United States will suffer the food poisoning every year, most cases is eating something contaminated by bacteria, such as an undercooked chicken or a potato salad which has been sitting out all day at a picnic. In clinical, food poisoning is referred to “stomach flu”. Symptoms will begin with nausea, and then followed by vomiting and/or diarrhea. In healthy adults, most cases are mild condition, and the disease course is usually within a day or two. But in children, older adults, immune depressed patients, food poisoning can be dangerous and fatal. 

In a wedding, 60 guests were ill, symptoms including diarrhea and abdominal cramps/pain with onset 10 to 20 hours after the event. Look at what happened exactly at that secret time in the kitchen!!! 

Food tested were Saag, Tandoori Chicken, Chick Pea Curry, Rata

Result: No significant results found in food testing; Clinical results: all virus testing (EM and NV by PCR negative; all enteric testing for gram –bacteria negative. However, in 4(4) stools Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin detected.

C. perfringens enterotoxin: