Food poisoning

The food poisoning , the food toxinfection and the collective food toxinfection are Maladie S often infectious and accidental, contracted following the ingestion of food or drink (medicamentous intoxications, alcoholism, etc being excluded), contaminated by disease-causing agents which it is about Bactérie S, Virus, parasite S or of prion S.

Such a contamination usually results from methods inadequate of handling, preparation, storage or cooking of food (non-observance of the temperatures of storage or cooking, cross contaminations).
De good practices of Hygiene front, during, and after the preparation of food can reduce the risk of TIAC. The action to supervise food (“ of the fork to the fork ”) to make sure that it will not cause a disease transmitted by food way is known as under the term of Food safety .

A collective food toxinfection is a Notifiable disease (MDO) whose definition is: collective food toxinfections supposing at least two grouped cases, with similar demonstrations due to a contamination by a micro-organism (bacteria in general) or a toxin. See the glossary on the safety-food site www.vie-public

A disease transmitted by food way can also be caused by a great number of toxins which pollute the environment.

For the food diseases of origin caused by chemicals, to see Pollutant S of food.

Transmission

The sick employees who handle food are one of the most widespread sources of contamination transmitted by food way. Some frequent diseases are occasionally transmitted to food by the water which is used in this case as vector. Among those one counts the Infection S caused by the Shigelles , the Hépatite has and the parasites like Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum. the stain of the Food by noxious animals in particular the Fly S, Rodent S and Cockroach S, constitutes another mode of contamination of food by other vectors. The disease transmitted by food way can also be due to the presence of Pesticide S or Médicament in food, or with the involuntary toxic natural substance consumption like the poisonous fungi or fish of the coral reefs.

Symptoms and mortality

The Symptôme S typically begin several hours at several days after the Ingestion and according to the agent in question, can include/understand one or more following disorders: nausea, abdominal Pain, Vomiting S, Diarrhea, Gastroentérite, Fever, Headaches or tires physical. In the majority of the cases the symptoms disappear without a future after a short period from indisposition and disease. However, the disease transmitted by food can have like consequence of the permanent health issues and even cause deaths, in particular at the babies, the expectant mothers and the fetus, the elderly, the patients, the people presenting a deficit of the Immune system. The disease transmitted by food way is an important cause of reactional Arthrite, which occurs typically from 1 to 3 weeks after the infection. In the same way, the people presenting a hepatic disease are particularly likely with the infections by Vibrio vulnificus, which can be transmitted by the Huître S or crabs.

Incubation period

The time between the consumption of a soiled food and occurred of the first Symptôme of the disease is called Incubation period. This duration extends from a few hours to several days (it seldom amounts to month or even to years, as in the case of the Listériose or the Maladie of Creutzfeldt-Jacob), it depends on the agent in question and the consumed quantity. If the symptoms appear within 1 to 6 a.m. after consumption of food, one must suppose that it was caused by a bacterial toxin or a chemical poison rather than by bacteria. For the incubation period, the microbial agent passes from the Estomac to the Intestin, sets at the cells intestinal wall, and starts to multiply. Certain disease-causing agents remain in the intestine, others produce a Toxine which passes in blood circulation, and others can directly invade the deepest fabrics of the organization. The symptoms which result from it depend on the type of infectious agent in question.

Infectious amount

The infectious amount is the quantity of infectious agent which must be consumed to cause the symptoms of the disease transmitted by food. The contagious amount varies depending on the agent in question and the age and the health condition of the consumer. In the case of the Salmonella S, for a human volunteer in good health, a relatively important inoculum of 10 million to 100 million organizations is necessary to cause symptoms, because the salmonellas are very sensitive to the acid. Thus, a level of gastric pH abnormally high tiny room considerably the minimal number of bacteria necessary to the appearance of the symptoms (of a factor 10 to 100 times).

Disease-causing agents

Bacteria

The infections Bactérie are not the most frequent cause of food poisoning.

With the the United Kingdom during the year the 2000 various implied bacteria were distributed as follows: Campylobacter jejuni 77.3%, Salmonella S 20.9%, Escherichia coli O157: H7 1.4%, and all others less than 0.1%. In the United States, the norovirus are the most widespread cause of disease transmitted by food, causing 57% of the epidemics in 2004. In the past the bacterial infections were regarded as most widespread because few laboratories had the capacity to seek the norovirus and that no monitoring activates was not carried out for this particular germ.

The symptoms of the bacterial infections are delayed because the bacteria have need of time to multiply. Usually, one does not observe them before 12 to 36 hours after the contaminated meal.

The pathogenic bacteria transmitted most frequently by food are the following ones:

Exotoxins

In addition to the disease due to a direct bacterial infection, certain food poisonings are due to the Exotoxin S which are excreted by the cell when the bacterium multiplies in food. The exotoxins which are entérotoxines can make sick even if the micro-organisms which produced them were killed. The symptoms appear typically after 1-6 hours according to the introduced toxin amount. One speaks then about intoxination.

For example the gilded staphilococcus ( Staphylococcus aureus ) produced a toxin which causes violent one Vomissement S and diarrheas approximately 3 hours after ingestion of food. The cure is spontaneous. The Botulism, a potentially lethal Rare disease but (5 to 10% of the cases) is presented when the bacterium Anaérobie Clostridium botulinum multiplies in food with low acidity which provided him condition of anaérobiose (absence of oxygen) and produces the botulinic toxin, a powerful paralyzing toxin. The generally accused food is the believed hams (development close to the bone) and the family preserves evil sterilized.

Virus

Perhaps the viral infections constitute one the third of food poisonings of the developed countries. They usually have a intermediate Incubation period (1-3 days), cause diseases which limit themselves at the subjects which do not have other health issues, and are similar to the bacterial forms described above.

  • Norovirus (in the past Norwalk virus)
  • Rotavirus
  • the Hépatite has is distinguished from the other viral causes by its Incubation period prolonged (2-6 weeks) and by its capacity to spread itself beyond the stomach and of the intestines, in the Foie. It often induces a Jaunisse (Ictère), or a yellowing of the skin, and leads only seldom to a chronic dysfunction of the liver.
  • the Hepatitis E

Parasites

The majority of food poisonings due to parasite S are Zoonose S:

  • Protozoon S:

Others:

Natural toxins

In contrast, various food can naturally contain Toxine S which are not produced by bacteria and are present naturally in the foodstuffs, among which:

  • of the Hemolysin S (thermolabile toxins of certain natural foods believed soups)
  • of the Mycotoxin S) such as the Aflatoxine, the ochratoxine has, etc
  • the Alcaloïde S, to see Ciguë and giant hemlock
  • the Ciguatera
  • the Ergotamine (parasitized rye flour, to see Ergotisme)
  • the Grayanotoxine (intoxication by the Miel)
  • the toxins of higher mushrooms (amatoxines, phallotoxines…)
  • the Mycotoxin S (intoxications caused by microscopic Mushrooms)
  • the Phytohémagglutinine (intoxication with the Bean S reds)
  • the Pyrrolizidine alkaloid
  • the Toxin of shell
  • the Scombrotoxine
  • the Triterpène S and Sesquiterpene S
  • the Illudine, the Crustulinol…
  • the Tétrodotoxine (intoxication caused by certain fish, like the Fugu)
  • the toxins Xénobiotique S (contamination of food by pesticides, metals like lead or arsenic, the radioelements higher than 600 matter Béquerels/Kg dries), etc)

Other disease-causing agents

  • the prion S, which lead to the Maladie of Creutzfeldt-Jacob

Statistics

In France, one counts between 250  000 and 750  000 annual cases (either 400 with 1  210 for 100  000 inhabitants). With the the United Kingdom, one counts more than 2 million intoxications (close to 3  400 for 100  000 hab.). With the the United States, one counts approximately 76 million intoxications (either more 26  000 for 100  000 inhabitants).

In France

In France, on the 250  000 with 750  000 food poisonings per year (400 with 1  210 for 100  000 inhabitants)

  • 70  000 were the subject of a consultation to the urgencies (113 for 100  000 hab.)
  • 15  000 people were hospitalized (24 for 100  000 hab.);
  • 400 people are Mort are (0,65 for 100  000 hab.).

The causes of intoxication are distributed as follows:

The causes of mortality per food toxinfection are distributed as follows:

Notable epidemics:

  • epidemic of Listeriosis in 1992, 275 cases including 85 mortals, related to the consumption of languages of pig into cold
  • epidemic of infections to E. coli O157: H7 in South-west in October 2005: 69 infected (46 hosptitalisations) including 18 case of SHU, 32 cases of bloody diarrheas and 19 case of nonbloody diarrheas

The Weekly Epidemiologic Bulletin in official results over the period 1996 - 2005 for (Tiac) declared in France, quotes 5.847 declared hearths of Tiac, causing 80.351 patients including 7.364 (9%) hospitalized, with Quarantecinq brought back deaths. This assessment seems reducing, only gastro-enteritis of the winter 2006-2007 having already made more than 500.000 victims at the end of December, with a peak awaited mid-January.

In the United Kingdom

With the the United Kingdom in the year 2000, for 2 million intoxications (nearly 3.400 per 100.000 hab.), the Bactérie S implied were:

In the United States

In the United States, for 76 million food poisonings (26  000 for 100  000 hab.):

  • 325  000 people were hospitalized (111 for 100  000 hab.);
  • 5  000 people are Mort are (1,7 for 100  000 hab.).

Source:

  • Healthiness of food and diseases of food origin, WHO

In Canada

In Quebec, for the food toxinfections announced to the MAPAQ in 2005-2006, - 49,2% made following the food consumption in restaurants, - 45,8% in residence, - 2,5% in institutions - 2,5% in the other categories of établissements."

Prevention

In the developed Countries, the prevention against food poisonings concerns the action of the State primarily, by setting up a service of day before Vétérinaire to supervise the live animals, their demolition and the food products which resulting, are equipped with it with a capacity of inspection (of the slaughter-houses, butcheries, agro-alimentary factories, stores, restaurants…) and of repression; also by setting up an obligation of traceability (identification of the batches of food products to be able to withdraw them in the event of health hazard). The France moreover created the French Agence of public health of the food (Afssa), to take care of this Food safety.

On behalf of the professionals, it is advisable to adopt measures of strict hygiene (clothes, food material of quality, cleaning, Low temperature, staff training…), as well as a monitoring of the risks (regular taking away at ends of analysis, procedures HACCP…). Certain food is irradiated (or ionized) in order to eliminate the bacteria in food and thus to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

For the private individuals, the prevention consists in observing the conditions of conservation of food, controlling the Deadline of consumption packed food, cleaning the refrigerator regularly, washing the hands before preparing and consuming a meal, to wash with clear water the fresh consumed products (Fruit S, salad, Légume S), to wash covers after use and to maintain the kitchen in a sufficient state of cleanliness. At the time of a voyage abroad, the respect of the culinary traditions often makes it possible to be protected from food poisonings; it is necessary in certain countries to be wary of running water (including ice floes) and food washed with running water.

See too

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