Basic Facts Regarding Foodborne Pathogens

There are many foodborne diseases that can be contracted in the United States. Some are more common than others, but all are treatable if caught quickly enough. Most foodborne illnesses are reported to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta. This allows the CDC to observe trends and locate the source of the pathogen, particularly if it begins to affect large numbers of people and appears to be from a common source. Foodborne pathogens are contracted by eating spoiled food or by eating food contaminated by an infected person handling the food. According to the CDC, there are over 250 foodborne pathogens. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has identified the six most common.

Botulism

• The NIAID considers botulism rare, affecting approximately 110 persons per year. It is transmitted, according to NIAID, by eating "home-canned foods with low acid content, such as asparagus, green beans, beets, and corn." Apple cider vinegar, which is used in canning and pickling, lists its acidic content on the label. Not all are suitable for canning. It is also found in "baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil but not kept hot, and tomatoes." Symptoms of botulism are dry mouth, droopy eyelids, slurred speech, weak muscles and difficulty swallowing. If you are diagnosed early enough, you will be given an antitoxin. If untreated, it can cause temporary paralysis, which causes breathing failure. You will be put on a ventilator until you improve.

Campylobacteriosis

• According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Campylobacteriosis is contacted by "handling raw poultry, eating undercooked poultry, drinking nonchlorinated water or raw milk, or handling infected human or animal feces." More than 100 people die from this annually out of 100,000 cases reported. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and pain, fever and tiredness. Typically this will go away in two to five days without treatment. If you have diarrhea, drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

E. Coli

• There are numerous strains of E. Coli, but most aren't harmful to humans. The common causes of E. Coli, according to NIAID are, "undercooked or raw hamburgers, salami, produce such as spinach, lettuce, sprouted seeds, unpasteurized milk, apple juice, and apple cider and contaminated well water or surface water frequented by animals." You can also contract it by failing to wash your hands after handling an infected animal, infected animal waste in your yard, after coming in contact with an infected person, swimming in unchlorinated pools contaminated with feces or any water with sewage contamination or consuming contaminated food, water or ice. NIAID lists the symptoms as "nausea, severe abdominal cramps, watery or very bloody diarrhea, fatigue." Most people recover without treatment in about eight days. Symptoms begin two to five days after contamination.

Hepatitis A

• NIAID defines Hepatitis A as "an acute inflammatory disease of the liver." In 2005 it caused illness in 2,500 reported cases and deaths in 100 of those. Hepatitis A is spread through "eating food or drinking water contaminated with the virus and through close personal contact with an infected person," according to the NIAID. Food is contaminated by food handlers, raw or uncooked shellfish harvested from infected waters, contaminated produce like lettuce and strawberries. Symptoms include jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, fever and anorexia. There are no medications to cure Hepatitis A. Taking Immunoglobulin during an outbreak will keep you from getting sick.

Norovirus Infection

• These viruses include the Norwalk, Hawaii and Snow Mountain virus and cause gastroenteritis. They are highly contagious and are contracted by ingesting contaminated drinks, contact with an infected person or contact with surfaces touched by an infected person. According to NIAID, the CDC says there are 23 million norovirus infections each year which result in "an estimated 50 thousand hospitalizations and 310 deaths." Symptoms of infection include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, fever and muscle aches. You will usually get better within a couple of days if you get plenty of bed rest and drink lots of fluids.

Salmonellosis

• Salmonella, as it is commonly called, is "one of the most common foodborne diseases," according to NIAID. Each year the CDC reports 40,000 cases of the disease. Salmonella can be found, according to NIAID, in "food products such as raw poultry, eggs, and beef, and sometimes on unwashed fruit. Food prepared on surfaces that previously were in contact with raw meat or meat products can, in turn, become contaminated with the bacteria." The disease is spread by being infected and not washing your hands before you prepare food for others. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headache and sometimes nausea, vomiting and anorexia. Symptoms should subside within three to seven days, and should need no special treatment other than plenty of fluids to combat dehydration.