Sept. 26, 2024 | Think about that roll or that piece of fruit that you just ate. It’s a fact that the American food supply is among the safest in the world. That said, the federal government estimates that there are about 48 million cases of food poisoning every year, that’s the equivalent of one in six Americans each year. And each year these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Food poisoning is an infection or irritation of your digestive tract that spreads through food or drinks. Viruses, bacteria, and parasites cause most food poisoning. Harmful chemicals may also cause food poisoning. Food poisoning is most often acute, meaning it happens suddenly and lasts a short time. Most cases of food poisoning last less than a week, and most people get better on their own without treatment. In some cases, food poisoning can last longer or lead to serious complications like dehydration and hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Sept. 26, 2024 | Although anyone can get food poisoning, infants and children, older adults and pregnant women are considered to be at greater risk for it because of their weakened immune systems. Some types of food poisoning during pregnancy can cause complications, such as dehydration, for the pregnant woman or can affect the fetus. For example, food poisoning by the bacterium Listeria can cause miscarriage or stillbirth. When food poisoning causes you to vomit or have diarrhea, your body loses fluids and electrolytes. If you don’t replace those fluids and electrolytes, you may become dehydrated. When you are dehydrated, your body doesn’t have enough fluid and electrolytes to work properly. Dehydration is especially dangerous in people with weakened immune systems. If you are dehydrated, see a doctor right away to prevent serious health problems. Without treatment, dehydration can lead to problems such as organ damage, shock, coma or even death.

Sept. 26, 2024 | Infections with microbes like viruses, bacteria, and parasites cause most food poisoning. Harmful chemicals can also cause some cases of food poisoning. Microbes can spread to food at any time while the food is grown, harvested or slaughtered, processed, stored, shipped, or prepared. Some harmful microbes may already be present in foods when you buy them. These can include fresh produce, raw meat, poultry or eggs, fish and shellfish and dairy products or fruit juices that have not been pasteurized. If you don’t keep raw foods separate from other foods, microbes from the raw foods can spread to other foods. Microbes can also spread from raw foods to your hands, kitchen utensils, cutting boards, and kitchen surfaces during food preparation. If you don’t wash your hands, utensils, cutting boards, and surfaces completely after they have come into contact with raw foods, they can spread harmful microbes to other foods.

Sept. 26, 2024 | Symptoms of food poisoning shouldn’t be taken lightly. The most common signs of food poisoning are diarrhea, vomiting, fever, headache and pain in your abdomen. The symptoms can range from mild to severe and may last a few hours to several days. With children, the symptoms can include a change in their mental state, like irritability or lack of energy, signs of dehydration and stools that are black or tarry. If an infant or child has signs or symptoms of food poisoning, don’t hesitate to call a doctor for advice. Diarrhea is especially dangerous in newborns and infants, leading to severe dehydration in just a day or two. A child with symptoms of dehydration can die within a day if left untreated. Adults should also see a doctor if they aren’t able to drink enough liquids or oral rehydration solutions, such as Pedialyte, Naturalyte, Infalyte, and CeraLyte, to prevent dehydration or if they do not improve after drinking oral rehydration solutions.

Sept. 26, 2024 | In most cases, people with food poisoning get better on their own without medical treatment. You can treat food poisoning by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. In some cases, over-the-counter medicines may help relieve your symptoms. Most adults can replace fluids and electrolytes by drinking water and sports drinks. Eating saltine crackers can also help replace electrolytes. When you have food poisoning, you may vomit after you eat or lose your appetite for a short time. When your appetite returns, you can most often go back to eating your normal diet, even if you still have diarrhea. Find tips on what to eat when you have food poisoning. If your child has symptoms of food poisoning, such as vomiting or diarrhea, don’t hesitate to call a doctor for advice. To treat food poisoning caused by bacteria or parasites, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or medicines that target parasites in addition to rehydration solutions.