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Food Poisoning

Foodborne illness, commonly known as food poisoning, is the result of consuming contaminated, spoilt or toxic food. 

This occurs due to the presence of bacteria, parasites or viruses in the food. Bacteria is the commonest culprit of food poisoning. These bacteria include E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella. Bacteria such as Salmonella most frequently infects a person who consumes raw food such as sashimi. Moreover, cooked food sometimes comes into contact with fecal matter, if the cook doesn’t wash their hands properly, and contain bacteria such as E. coli. 



Symptoms of foodborne illnesses include abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting, and fever. These symptoms can become life-threatening if the diarrhoea and vomiting leads to dehydration, or if the fever is very high. 


Food poisoning will typically resolve itself with bed rest. However, as most cases are caused by bacteria, antibiotics may also be prescribed to deal with the illness. Good hygiene and proper cooking techniques can also reduce the incidences of foodborne illnesses.


Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-20356230

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-poisoning

https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/symptoms.html



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