What Is Food Intoxication?

Food poisoning refers to the acute poisoning disease caused by the food contaminated by patients with bacteria or bacterial toxins, or food containing toxins. There may be different clinical manifestations depending on the cause.

Causes of food poisoning

The patient's food is contaminated with bacteria or bacterial toxins, or the food contains toxins that cause the disease.

Clinical manifestations of food poisoning

There may be different clinical manifestations depending on the cause.

Gastrointestinal food poisoning

Gastrointestinal food poisoning is more common in summer and autumn when the temperature is higher and bacteria easily grow and reproduce in food. It is mainly characterized by acute gastrointestinal inflammation such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

2. Staphylococcal food poisoning

It is an acute disease caused by eating food contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and its enterotoxins. The common foods that cause bacillary food poisoning are starch (such as leftovers, porridge, rice noodles, etc.), milk and dairy products, fish, eggs, etc. When the contaminated food is left at room temperature for 20 to 22 ° C for more than 5 hours The bacteria multiply and produce enterotoxin. This toxin is very heat-resistant. After boiling for 30 minutes, it can still maintain its virulence and cause disease. The disease is mostly in summer and autumn.

3. Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning

It is caused by acute or subacute disease after eating food contaminated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus or after eating food containing the bacteria. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a common food poisoning pathogen. It accounts for a significant proportion of bacterial food poisoning. Clinically, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and watery stools are the main symptoms. Food poisoning caused by this bacterium has outbreak-causing disease (same time, same area, same or similar symptoms, same contaminated food), short incubation period (hours to days), certain seasonal (multi-summer autumn) and other bacterial food Common characteristics of poisoning.

4. Proteus food poisoning

It is caused by ingesting a large amount of food contaminated by Proteus, which is a food poisoning caused by conditional pathogens. Proteus is a Gram-negative bacterium. It can be divided into ordinary Proteus and Proteus mirabilis according to different biochemical reactions. There are more than 100 serotypes. A large number of proteobacteria grow and reproduce in the human body and produce enterotoxin, causing food poisoning. The incidence is higher in summer and autumn, and the clinical manifestations are gastrointestinal and allergic.

Food poisoning check

Bacterial culture

Suspect food, vomit and feces should be taken for bacterial culture.

2. Bacteriology and serology tests

Corresponding bacteriological and serological tests are performed according to different causes.

3. Blood culture

Blood culture of critically ill patients, the early and two weeks after the illness, and the suspected bacteria isolated from the culture and the serum agglutination test are performed. The increase in titer of the serum agglutination titer has diagnostic value. When in doubt, especially those suspected of bacterial toxin poisoning, animal tests can be performed to detect the presence of bacterial toxins.

Food poisoning treatment

General treatment

Bed rest, the early diet should be a digestible liquid or semi-liquid diet, the condition can be restored to normal diet. Salmonella food poisoning should be isolated at the bedside.

Symptomatic treatment

Those with obvious vomiting and abdominal pain can take oral amphetamine (probencin) or subcutaneously injected atropine, or anisodamine. Those who can eat should be given oral rehydration. Severe vomiting can not eat or frequent diarrhea, give intravenous drip of sugar. In case of acidosis, supplement 5% sodium bicarbonate injection or 11.2% sodium lactate solution as appropriate. Those who are severely dehydrated or even in shock should actively rehydrate, maintain electrolyte balance and give anti-shock treatment.

3. Antibacterial treatment

Antibiotics are generally not required. For severe patients with high fever, antibacterial drugs can be selected according to different pathogens. Such as Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus can choose quinolone antibiotics.