Food contamination can occur anytime from farm or fishery to the table.

Fluid replacement is the main form of treatment, althoughantibioticsandantidiarrheal drugsmay be used in severe cases.

Left untreated, food poisoning can lead to severedehydrationand other potentially severe complications.

how to prevent food poisoning

Verywell / Jessica Olah

Bacteria are the most common cause of food poisoning.

Enterotoxins account for roughly 240,000 cases in the United States every year.

Poor handwashing and contaminated surfaces or kitchen tools are the most common routes of transmission.

Parasitic Causes

Mostparasitesassociated with food poisoning arezoonoses.

These are parasites transmitted from infected animals or fish to humans.

Mycotoxins can directly cause food poisoning and can be passed in meat from affected livestock.

But, there are many produced by beans, fish, and shellfish that can also cause food poisoning.

Raw foods like sashimi, oysters, carpaccio, and even salads are common causes of food poisoning.

Complications

The main complication of food poisoning isdehydrationcaused when body fluids are lost through vomiting and diarrhea.

During pregnancy, food poisoning has been known to causemiscarriage or stillbirthand even lead to sepsis in the newborn.

This may be accompanied by tests to identify the potential pathogen or rule out other causes of your symptoms.

Stomach flu differs in that it tends to cause more nausea and vomiting, but less diarrhea.

The aim is to replace fluids lost to vomiting and diarrhea to avoid dehydration.

They may even worsen your diarrhea, promoting fluid loss.

For the majority of cases of food poisoning, medications are not necessary.

In areas of high risk, do not drink tap water or use ice made from tap water.

You would also need to avoid eating fruits and vegetables it’s possible for you to’t cook or peel.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Estimates for foodborne illness in the United States.

Bintsis T.Foodborne pathogens.AIMS Microbiol.

2016;56:15321544. doi:10.1080/10408398.2013.777021

Fletcher MT, Netzel G.Food safety and natural toxins.Toxins (Basel).

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts of food poisoning.

Switaj TL, Winter KJ, Christensen SR.Diagnosis and management of foodborne illness.Am Fam Physician.

2015;92(5):358-65.

Northwestern University.Stomach flu, food poisoning or influenza: which one do you have?

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for food poisoning.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About four steps to food safety.