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Symptoms and Signs of Food Poisoning
Signs and symptoms of food poisoning may include one or more of the following:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
- Fever
- Dehydration
- Weakness that may lead to respiratory arrest as in the case of botulism
Symptoms may appear within 2 hours of eating the contaminated food or they may begin days later. Generally, the sickness lasts from 1 to 10 days.
The source, time of onset of symptoms, symptoms and the associated foods are tabulated below:
| Pathogen | Time between eating and onset of symptoms | Symptoms | Associated foods* |
| Bacillus cereus toxin (vomiting) | 1 - 6 hours | Sudden onset of severe nausea and vomiting | Improperly refrigerated cooked rice |
| Bacillus cereus toxin (diarrhea) | 6 - 24 hours | Abdominal cramps, nausea and watery diarrhea | Meats, stews, gravy, vanilla sauce |
| Campylobacter | 2 - 5 days | Fever, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea (sometimes bloody) | Raw and undercooked poultry, unpasteurized milk and contaminated water |
| Clostridium perfringens toxin | 6 - 24 hours | Abdominal cramps, watery diarrhea and nausea | Meats, poultry, gravy, dried or precooked foods |
| Escherichia coli (STEC) | 2 - 10 days more commonly 3 - 4 days | Diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal cramps | Improperly cooked beef, unpasteurized milk and juice, sprouts and contaminated water |
| Hepatitis A | 2 - 7 weeks | Jaundice, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea | Raw or poorly cooked seafood harvested from contaminated waters, ready-to-eat foods handled by an infected food handler |
| Listeria monocytogenes | 3 days - 10 weeks | Meningitis, sepsis, fever | Soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk, ready-to-eat deli meats |
| Norovirus | 24 - 48 hours | Fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea and headache | Poorly cooked shellfish, ready-to-eat foods touched by an infected worker |
| Salmonella | 6 – 72 hours,usually 12-36 hours | Headache, fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea | Undercooked poultry, raw egg deserts and mayonnaise, sprouts, tahini |
| Staphylococcus aureus toxin | 30 min – 8 hours | Sudden onset of vomiting and abdominal cramps | Cream deserts and pastries, potato salad |
| Vibrio parahaemolyticus | 4–30 hours, usually 12-24 hours | Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea | Undercooked or raw seafood. |
Source: http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/consumers/problems-with-food/food-poisoning/
It is necessary to seek medical attention in case of the following symptoms:
- Frequent episodes of vomiting or vomiting blood
- Severe abdominal cramps
- Fever higher than 101.5 degrees F (38.6 degrees C)
- Excessive thirst or dry mouth, little or no urination, dizziness and severe weakness
- Severe diarrhea for more than 3 days
- Trouble swallowing or difficulty speaking
- Double vision
References:
- Listeria monocytogenes: biofilm formation and persistence in food-processing environments - (http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=245609)
