may become paralyzed. Similar symptoms result from
eating the Japanese puffer fish which contains a natu-
ral poison that in its skin and digestive system that
affects the nervous system.
Manmade toxins
Manmade toxins include all pesticides, fertilizers,
disinfectants, and any other chemicals remaining in
food when it is eaten that can cause illness. Contamina-
tion is accidental, and often the result of ignorance or a
misunderstanding of how to apply the chemical. Symp-
toms may develop rapidly or slowly depending on the
type of chemical and the amount of exposure. Chemical
poisoning requires prompt medical evaluation.
Diagnosis
Food poisoning is caused by many different organ-
isms, but identifying the exact organism is not usually
necessary. Most mild food poisoning is diagnosed by
the symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach
cramps coupled with information about that the indi-
vidual has recently eaten. The length of time between
eating the suspect food and the start of symptoms gives
physicians a clue about what particular organism may
be causing the food poisoning. Blood and urine tests
may be ordered to determine the individual’s degree of
dehydrationand electrolyte (chemical) imbalances. In
most cases, determining the exact pathogen that is caus-
ing the food poisoning is relatively unimportant, as
treatment tends to be the similar for most causes. How-
ever, if diarrhea is persistent, a stool culture may be
done to provide more specific information.
When chemical or natural toxin poisoning is sus-
pected, determining the exact cause is more important,
and treatment is specific to the cause. The stomach may
be pumped and the contents tested. Extensive blood
tests are usually needed. Sometimes activated charcoal
is used to help absorb the poison in the stomach.
Treatment
The main goal of treatment for food poisoning is to
keep the individual from becoming dehydrated. A loss
of 20% of a person’s body fluid is fatal, and 10-15% is
serious. In food poisoning, huge amounts of both water
andelectrolytescan be lost quite rapidly. Vomiting and
diarrhea in infants and young children require espe-
cially prompt professional treatment because small
children can become dehydrated within hours.
Mild cases of food poisoning can usually be
treated at home, especially if they are not accompanied
by a fever. Dehydration in infants and children can be
prevented or treated by giving them oral rehydration
solutions such as Pedialyte, Infalyte, Naturalyte, Ora-
lyte, or Rehydralyte. These are available in supermar-
kets and pharmacies without a prescription. Oral
rehydration solutions have the proper balance of
salts and sugars to restore fluid and electrolyte bal-
ance. They can be given to young children in small sips
as soon as vomiting and diarrhea start. Children may
continue to vomit and have diarrhea, but some of the
fluid will be absorbed. In the past, parents were told to
withhold solid food from children who had diarrhea.
New research indicates that it is better for children
should to be allowed to eat solid food should they
want it, even though diarrhea continues.
Older children and adultswho are dehydrated can
be given oral rehydration solutions or sports drinks such
as Gatorade. Adults and older children with food poi-
soning should avoid drinking coffee, tea, and soft drinks,
especially soft drinks that contain caffeine,asthese
liquids promote dehydration. Over-the counter medica-
tions to stop or slow diarrhea such as Kaopectate, Pepto-
Bismol, or Imodium will not shorten the duration of the
disease, but may give the individual some control over
his or her bowels. Consult a physician before giving these
over-the-counter medicines to children.
Individuals of all ages who are seriously dehydrated
need to be treated promptly by a medical professional.
In the case of severe dehydration, the individual may be
hospitalized and fluids given intravenously (IV; directly
into the vein). Drugs may also be prescribed to stop
persistent vomiting. Although bacteria cause many
cases of food poisoning, antibiotics are not routinely
used in treatment. Some studies have shown that anti-
biotics are necessary only in about 10% of cases.
Individuals who think their food poisoning symp-
toms are caused by chemicals or natural toxins should
seek emergency medical care immediately. These types
of food poisoning are too serious to try to treat at home.Nutrition/Dietetic concernsCertain foods are more commonly associated with
food poisoning than others. These include:
raw and undercooked meat, especially ground meat
raw or undercooked poultry
raw or undercooked eggs and egg products such as
mayonnaise or raw cookie dough. Estimates are that 1
of every 20,000 eggs is contaminated withSalmonella.
unpasteurized milk products or unpasteurized fruit
juice
raw shellfish, especially oysters, clams, scallops, and
mussels
ready-to-eat raw fruits and vegetablesFood poisoning