What are the most common foodborne diseases?
How are foodborne diseases treated?
Can you get Salmonella from kosher chicken?
What are the most common foodborne diseases?
The most commonly recognized foodborne infections are those caused by the bacteriaSalmonella, and E. coli O157:H7, and by a group of viruses called calicivirus, also known as the Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses.
Salmonella is also a bacterium that is widespread in the intestines of birds, reptiles and mammals. It can spread to humans via a variety of different foods of animal origin. The illness it causes, salmonellosis, typically includes fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. In persons with poor underlying health or weakened immune systems, it can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.
E. coli O157:H7 is a bacterial pathogen that has a reservoir in cattle and other similar animals. Human illness typically follows consumption of food or water that has been contaminated with microscopic amounts of cow feces. The illness it causes is often a severe and bloody diarrhea and painful abdominal cramps, without much fever. In 3% to 5% of cases, a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can occur several weeks after the initial symptoms.? This severe complication includes temporary anemia, profuse bleeding, and kidney failure.
Calicivirus, or Norwalk-like virus is an extremely common cause of foodborne illness, though it is rarely diagnosed, because the laboratory test is not widely available. It causes an acute gastrointestinal illness, usually with more vomiting than diarrhea, that resolves within two days. Unlike many foodborne pathogens that have animal reservoirs, it is believed that Norwalk-like viruses spread primarily from one infected person to another. Infected kitchen workers can contaminate a salad or sandwich as they prepare it, if they have the virus on their hands. Infected fishermen have contaminated oysters as they harvested them.
How are foodborne diseases treated?
There are many different kinds of foodborne diseases and they may require different treatments, depending on the symptoms they cause.? Illnesses that are primarily diarrhea or vomiting can lead to dehydration if the person loses more body fluids and salts (electrolytes) than they take in.? Replacing the lost fluids and electrolytes and keeping up with fluid intake are important.? If diarrhea is severe, oral rehydration solution such as Ceralyte*, Pedialyte* or Oralyte*, should be drunk to replace the fluid losses and prevent dehydration.? Sports drinks such as Gatorade* do not replace the losses correctly and should not be used for the treatment of diarrheal illness.? Preparations of bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., Pepto-Bismol)* can reduce the duration and severity of simple diarrhea.?? If diarrhea and cramps occur, without bloody stools or fever, taking an antidiarrheal medication may provide symptomatic relief, but these medications should be avoided if there is high fever or blood in the stools because they may make the illness worse.?
Can you get Salmonella from kosher chicken?
:Yes, you can get Salmonella from any chicken. The Salmonella infects the chickens while they are growing, and the kosher defeathering process does not kill the Salmonella (eg: PubMed link).
The best way to prevent Salmonella infections is to ensure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked all the way through, and that you wash your hands and any kitchen utensils that come into contact with the uncooked chicken as soon as possible.
