Download Organisms That Can Bug You

Organisms That Can Bug You
Disease and Organism
That Causes It
Source of Illness
Bacteria
Botulism
Spores of these bacteria
are wide-spread. But
these bacteria produce
Botulinum toxin
toxin only in an
(produced by
Clostridium botulinum anerobic (oxygenless)
environment of little
bacteria)
acidity. Found in a
considerable variety of
canned goods, such as
corn, green beans,
soups, beets, asparagus,
mushrooms, tuna, and
liver paté. Also in
luncheon meats, ham,
sausage, stuffed
eggplant, lobster, and
smoked and salted fish.
E. Coli
Most common source is
undercooked ground
beef. Can also be
E. Coli 0157:H7
spread through sprouts,
lettuce, salami, and
Note: There are many
strains of this bacterium. unpasteurized milk and
juice.
Nearly all of them are
harmless and are
“normal” residents of Can also be spread from
infected people to
the digestive system.
others through poor
hygiene (not washing
hands thoroughly).
Symptoms
Onset: Generally 4-36
hours after eating.
Symptoms: Neurotoxic
symptoms, including
double vision, inability
to swallow, speech
difficulty, and
progressive paralysis of
the respiratory system.
Get Medical Help
Immediately. Botulism
Can Be Fatal.
Onset: Generally 3-4
days.
Symptoms: Diarrhea,
often bloody, cramps,
little or no fever.
2-7% of cases can lead
to a more serious
condition called
Hemolytic Uremic
Syndrome which causes
kidney failure and death.
Listeriosis
Found in soft cheese,
unpasteurized milk,
Listeria monocytogenes imported seafood
products, frozen cooked
crab meat, cooked
shrimp, and cooked
surimi (imitation
shellfish). The Listeria
bacteria resist heat, salt,
nitrite, and acidity better
than many other microorganisms. They
survive and grow at low
temperatures.
Perfringens food
poisoning
In most instances,
caused by failure to
keep food hot. A few
Clostridium perfringens organisms are often
present after cooking
and multiply to toxic
levels during cool down
and storage of prepared
foods. Meats and meat
products are the foods
most frequently
implicated. These
organisms grow better
than other bacteria
between 120-130° F. So
gravies and stuffing
must be kept above
140° F.
Onset: From 7-30 days
after eating, but most
symptoms have been
reported 48-72 hours
after consumption of
contaminated food.
Symptoms: Fever,
headache, nausea, and
vomiting. Primarily
affects pregnant women
and their fetuses,
newborns, the elderly,
people with cancer, and
those with impaired
immune systems. Can
cause fetal and infant
death.
Onset: Generally 8-12
hours after eating.
Symptoms: Abdominal
pain and diarrhea, and
sometimes nausea and
vomiting.
Symptoms last a day or
less and are usually
mild. Can be more
serious in older or
debilitated people.
Salmonellosis
Salmonella bacteria
Shigellosis (bacillary
dysentery)
Shigella bacteria
Staphylococcal food
poisoning
Staphylococcal
enterotoxin (produced
by Staphylococcus
aureus bacteria)
Vibrio Infection
Vibrio vulnificus
Raw meats, poultry,
milk and other dairy
products, shrimp, frog
legs, yeast, coconut,
pasta and chocolate are
most frequently
involved.
Onset: Generally 8-12
hours after eating.
Symptoms: Abdominal
pain and diarrhea, and
sometimes nausea and
vomiting. Symptoms last
a day or less and are
usually mild. Can be
more serious in older or
debilitated people.
Found in milk and dairy Onset: 1-7 days after
products, poultry, and eating.
potato salad. Food
becomes contaminated Symptoms: Abdominal
when a human carrier cramps, diarrhea, fever,
does not wash hands
sometimes vomiting, and
and then handles liquid blood, pus, or mucus in
or food that is not
stool.
thoroughly cooked
afterwards. Organisms
multiply in food left at
room temperature.
Toxin produced when Onset: Generally 30
food contaminated with minutes-8 hours after
the bacteria is left too eating.
long at room
temperature. Meats,
Symptoms: Diarrhea,
poultry, egg products, vomiting, nausea,
tuna, potato and
abdominal pain, cramps,
macaroni salads, and
and prostration. Lasts
cream-filled pastries are 24-48 hours. Rarely
good environments for fatal.
these bacteria to
produce toxin.
The bacteria live in
Onset: Abrupt.
coastal waters and can
infect humans either
Symptoms: Chills,
through open wounds or fever, and/or prostration.
through consumption of At high risk are people
contaminated seafood. with liver conditions,
The bacteria are most
low gastric (stomach)
numerous in warm
acid, and weakened
weather.
immune systems.
Protozoa
Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica
Giardiasis
Giardia lamblia
Virus
Hepatitis A virus
Exist in the intestinal
tract of humans and are
expelled in feces.
Polluted water and
vegetables grown in
polluted soil spread the
infection.
Most frequently
associated with
consumption of
contaminated water.
May be transmitted by
uncooked foods that
become contaminated
while growing or after
cooking by infected
food handlers. Cool,
moist conditions favor
organism's survival.
Mollusks (oysters,
clams, mussels,
scallops, and cockles)
become carriers when
their beds are polluted
by untreated sewage.
Raw shellfish are
especially potent
carriers, although
cooking does not
always kill the virus.
Onset: 3-10 days after
exposure.
Symptoms: Severe
crampy pain, tenderness
over the colon or liver,
loose morning stools,
recurrent diarrhea, loss
of weight, fatigue, and
sometimes anemia.
Onset: 1-3 days.
Symptoms: Sudden
onset of explosive
watery stools, abdominal
cramps, anorexia,
nausea, and vomiting.
Especially infects hikers,
children, travelers, and
institutionalized patients.
Symptoms and Onset:
Begins with malaise,
appetite loss, nausea,
vomiting, and fever.
After 3-10 days patient
develops jaundice with
darkened urine. Severe
cases can cause liver
damage and death.