Food poisoning is caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, but can vary depending on the cause. Dehydration is common and symptoms can appear suddenly or be delayed.
Food poisoning is usually caused by ingesting food contaminated with some species of bacteria. Contamination with viruses, parasites and some chemicals can also cause food poisoning. Symptoms of food poisoning differ slightly depending on the cause, but most cases of food poisoning include symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
In addition to these three common symptoms, there are a number of other food poisoning symptoms that may be present depending on the infecting organism. Diarrhea caused by a bacterial infection also tends to cause fever and can also cause blood or mucus to appear in the stool. On the other hand, food poisoning caused by viral infections often causes headaches and vomiting.
In general, diarrhea is more likely to be caused by a bacterial infection, while vomiting is usually caused by a viral infection. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Some diseases, such as cholera, cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. Other microorganisms cause a more unique range of symptoms that aren’t limited to the gastrointestinal tract. One such case is that of botulism, caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Symptoms of botulism include skeletal muscle paralysis, as well as nausea and vomiting.
Signs of food poisoning are associated with the development of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. The growth of bacteria, viruses or parasites, the secretion of toxins by microorganisms and the presence of certain chemicals can cause this type of inflammation. Inflammation and excessive water loss is the result of damage done to the intestinal wall by toxins secreted by microorganisms, by the microorganisms themselves, or by ingested chemicals.
Many people with food poisoning also experience symptoms of dehydration. This is because large amounts of fluids can be lost through vomiting or diarrhea. Dehydration can cause nausea, fatigue and dizziness. Your urine appears darker in color, your mouth and nose may feel dry, and you may experience cramps in your limbs. To combat dehydration, people with food poisoning should drink plenty of fluids, but they should drink slowly without ingesting large amounts of fluid at any one time.
Symptoms of food poisoning can be sudden or delayed in onset. Symptoms of salmonella food poisoning, for example, usually appear within one to three days of ingesting contaminated food. Conversely, ingestion of food contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus causes symptoms of food poisoning within six hours. Parasites such as Giardia intestinalis and the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes have an incubation period of up to four weeks before they start causing symptoms.
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