Food poisoning is a collective concept, since a number of reasons can cause it. However, regardless of the causative agent of the negative manifestation, it is characterized by inflammation of the intestinal mucous membranes, dehydration, and general intoxication of the body. Let's figure it out, on the background of which a pathological condition can develop, and also find out what the prevention of food poisoning involves.
Classification
There are several groups of food poisoning:
- Microbial origin - pathological conditions develop as a result of eating food affected by the waste products of bacteria and fungi.
- Non-microbial origin - poisoning by poisonous plants, animal toxins, components of chemicals.
Toxicological infections belong to a separate group, which arise in response to the absorption of food, in which there is a mass of live, active pathological microorganisms. The harmful effects of bacteria that occurs with this type of poisoning depends on the nature of the microorganisms present, as well as the toxins that are released as a result of their death.
The mechanism of food poisoning
With the accumulation of toxins in the body, the mucous membranes of the intestines and stomach suffer primarily. An inflammatory reaction develops in the tissues, which leads to a decrease in the activity of the above systems. Against this background, pain is formed in the abdomen. Later, there are urges to vomit, general weakness, diarrhea.
If prevention and first aid for food poisoning has not been implemented , toxins begin to flow into the blood. There are signs of general intoxication of the body, which are manifested by an increase in body temperature, attacks of acute headache, increased heart rate.
Symptomatology
Depending on the causative agent of food poisoning, the time taken to absorb toxins from the blood can range from a few hours to a matter of minutes. As soon as this happens, a person begins to feel unwell, nausea. In children, a clear sign of food intoxication is the development of acute diarrhea, which is characterized by frequent urges, the allocation of copious amounts of watery stool, sometimes with bloody impurities.
If food poisoning prevention measures have not been taken, the human body suffers from dehydration. Its first manifestations are the drying up of the oral cavity, the formation of a whitish coating on the surface of the tongue. All this in the future may be accompanied by convulsions and cooling extremities.
During the development of the pathological condition, the cardiovascular system is seriously affected, in particular, blood pressure drops sharply, tachycardia appears. The influx of toxic substances into the blood causes damage to the kidneys and liver. The nervous system is also negatively affected.
Common bacterial pathogens of food intoxication
Intoxication can develop against the background of infection of the digestive system by the following pathological organisms:
- Clostridia are bacteria that form spores in wastewater and soil. The present genus of microorganisms may be found in raw poultry and domestic animals.
- Proteus is a rod-shaped bacterium whose cells are present in water and soil. It mainly affects meat products.
- Klebsiella is a pathological microorganism whose spores are deposited in soil, dust, water. May enter the human body if hygiene is not observed, insufficient cleaning of fruits and vegetables before consuming them. The bacterium is able to survive unfavorable environmental conditions for a long time, forming a protective capsule.
- Salmonella is a pathogenic bacterium that multiplies in protein structures.
- Staphylococcus is a pathological bacterium that is the causative agent of a number of diseases, starting with meningitis, sepsis, endocarditis and ending with toxic shock. Active reproduction occurs in spoiled dairy products.
In this case, the prevention of food poisoning involves thorough washing of hands before eating food and products collected in the beds. To destroy the spores of the above bacteria also allows boiling.
Protein Food Poisoning
The main causative agent here is a rod-shaped bacterium - salmonella. On the eggshell and in raw meat, the pathological organism is able to remain active for up to 24 days, and in the egg protein for up to 1 year. When the product is stored in the freezer, the bacterium not only survives, but also actively multiplies.
In this case, food poisoning prevention measures involve boiling potentially hazardous foods. Salmonella dies when the temperature of the surrounding space rises to 70 ° C. Moreover, thermal disinfection of eggs is sufficient for 5-10 minutes. Another thing is the content of bacteria in the thickness of raw meat. In this case, the prevention of food poisoning requires boiling the product for several hours.
Signs of salmonella poisoning:
- cramping sharp pains in the navel ;
- allocation of a watery stool of a greenish tint;
- bloating.
Confectionery poisoning
When using spoiled confectionery products, intoxication most often occurs with staphylococcus vital products. Sweet creams based on milk are the ideal medium for active reproduction of bacteria. The result of the vital activity of the microorganism is the production of enterotoxins, which even with an impressive content do not alter the smell or taste of food.
Prevention of food poisoning here needs to check the expiration date of confectionery products, the rejection of the use of stale sweets. In this case, heat treatment of food products is an ineffective solution, since staphylococcus bacilli can withstand the effects of sufficiently high temperatures - up to 100 ° C - for several hours.
Fish food poisoning
If the result of visiting the sushi bar is nausea, general malaise, and colic in the stomach, this indicates poisoning by a fish infected with proteins or Escherichia coli. These microorganisms develop in raw fish when it is stored improperly, in violation of generally accepted hygiene.
However, non-bacterial infections can also cause fish poisoning. Meat itself can become toxic under certain conditions. In particular, the risk of intoxication is the use of fish caught during spawning.
In some cases, poisoning can occur in the form of acute allergic reactions. A prerequisite for the development of such conditions is the use of fish, which contains an abundance of one of the main pathogens of allergies - histamine.
Prevention of food poisoning and intestinal infections when consuming fish products requires its thorough preparation for cooking, high-quality heat treatment. In case of development of allergic manifestations, it is worth taking the appropriate drugs ("Cetirizine", "Suprastin").
Prevention of non-microbial food poisoning requires increased attention to the selection of products. It is worth avoiding the use of fish, in which there is a bloating of the body, flying around scales, blurred eyes.
To avoid troubles, it is recommended to store fish at a temperature not exceeding 1 ° C. Do not remove the product for a long time from the refrigerator, if you do not plan to cook it immediately. After defrosting, the fish deteriorates quickly enough. Its tissues are an excellent medium for the propagation of dangerous bacteria.
Mushroom poisoning
If we talk about cases of intoxication with poisons of plant origin, the use of this product here takes one of the leading places. About 70 individual varieties of mushrooms grow on domestic open spaces, about 20 of which can cause death. The peak of intoxication with their poisons falls on the period from early May to late November. This time is called the mushroom season.
In fact, even experienced mushroom pickers have severe food poisoning, infections. Prevention here requires a refusal to purchase mushrooms of dubious origin in natural markets. With their independent collection, it is worth paying attention only to the widespread edible varieties. To avoid problems, before consuming mushrooms, it is worthwhile to subject them to thorough, lengthy heat treatment.
Botulism
Botulism is a serious infectious lesion of the digestive system. Without proper treatment, a fatal outcome occurs rather quickly. It causes the development of the disease when botulinum toxin enters the body along with poor-quality food. In most cases, the cause of the development of a pathological condition is the use of canned food.
The main manifestation of food poisoning is a severe progressive lesion of the nervous system. The development of the disease is accompanied by respiratory depression, a violation of the act of swallowing, a sharp deterioration in vision, a violation of the motor functions of the limbs.
How is the prevention of the disease? Food poisoning of this plan requires careful attention to the use of old preservation, fish, meat, closed in jars.
Therapy
When the first symptoms of food poisoning appear, it is necessary to immediately wash the stomach. To do this, you can use an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate. If this is not possible, it is recommended to drink about 4-5 glasses of boiled water, and then cause vomiting, irritating the root of the tongue with your fingers. The procedure should be repeated until the fluid coming from the stomach becomes clear. The release of the stomach from vomit containing toxins can effectively eliminate food poisoning of children. Prevention of the occurrence of such pathological conditions here lies entirely with adults.
General recommendations
Prevention of food poisoning and toxic infections in general suggests the following:
- Refusal to eat food of dubious quality and freshness, products whose shelf life is coming to an end.
- The purchase of exclusively certified products that have passed the sanitary-epidemiological check. Particular care must be taken in acquiring dairy products, fish, meat, and smoked meats, as it is in such products that the spores of pathogenic bacteria are most often contained.
- Compliance with the standards and temperature conditions that apply to the preparation of raw foods.
- Cutting various products on separate surfaces. For example, raw vegetables and meat should be cut on different boards. Arrange the products on the table in such a way that they do not touch each other.
- Washing hands and cutlery every time you move on to cooking individual dishes.
- Boiling drinking water, if there is no confidence in its safety for health.
- Thermal and antibacterial treatment of dishes and cutlery after each use, as well as rinsing the latter in cold water.
- Re-boil soups before next use.
Finally
So we examined the causes of food poisoning. Prevention here requires only compliance with simple, generally accepted rules of hygiene, careful attention to the choice of food products, proper culinary processing of the ingredients of individual dishes, and avoiding expired foods.