Food poisoning with eggs: boiled, fried, fresh, homemade eggs

Eggs are one of the most popular foods on our table. And this is not surprising, because this outwardly attractive product has great nutritional value as a rich source of easily digestible protein, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The ease of preparation of the product itself and the ability to cook many dishes using it made eggs the leader in the kitchen. But there is one nuance. Eggs are a special product and are not always safe for health, so it is important to know not only the options and recipes for dishes using eggs, but also information on how to cook them correctly. Only then will the prepared dish be beneficial and egg poisoning will not occur, which sometimes has quite serious consequences.

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Epidemiology

Statistics in this regard are relentless, claiming that almost a third of all toxic infections are caused by salmonella entering the body. By the way, eggs, along with fish, occupy the second "honorable" place in the list of products that cause poisoning most often. They are second only to dairy products and meat.

These are scary figures, especially considering that the mortality rate from toxic infections exceeds the number of fatal outcomes associated with myocardial infarction, and the main patients in whom poisoning occurs in a severe form are children. There is something to think about when choosing food products for the table and making sure that food does not become poison.

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Causes egg poisoning

There is no need to think that the possibility of poisoning with eggs in any way diminishes their value. Take, for example, the most common on our menu - chicken eggs. They contain 6 of the 11 known B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, C, D, E, K, H and nicotinic acid, which are essential for the body. In addition to vitamins, the protein and yolk of the egg contain most of the minerals described in the periodic table, and are no less necessary for humans.

Egg white is considered especially valuable, because it is considered the best supplier of easily digestible protein (proteins), so necessary for building cell membranes and increasing muscle mass. The yolk is responsible for supplying the body with poly- and mono-unsaturated, as well as saturated fats and cholesterol. And although there is quite a lot of the latter in eggs, it is not dangerous, since it is balanced by lecithin present in the egg, which is designed to maintain normal cholesterol levels in the body.

It would seem that if eggs are so useful, how can they cause poisoning? Alas, even this valuable product, so necessary in the diet of children and adults, if stored and processed incorrectly, can cause great harm to human health.

The causes of egg poisoning can be different. Firstly, you can get poisoned by a spoiled product. Improper storage of any natural product invariably leads to its premature spoilage. If a seller at the market in the summer convinces you that the eggs are fresh, collected 1-2 days before delivery, this does not at all confirm their safety for humans if the product is stored outside the refrigerator.

Secondly, you can even buy fresh eggs, but if you do not observe hand hygiene and kitchen utensils when preparing egg dishes, you can easily supply the same salad or scrambled eggs with pathogenic microorganisms that surround us everywhere.

Well, these 2 reasons are not unique, because improper storage of any products and failure to maintain cleanliness in the kitchen can cause poisoning not only from eggs, but also from meat, sausage, fish, dairy products, etc. This happens all the time not only in home kitchens, but also in public catering establishments that are under the control of the sanitary and epidemiological station.

A specific cause of egg poisoning is salmonella, which gets into the product from the bird itself. In this case, the chicken is the source of infection, and its eggs are the storage point and carrier. In this case, bacteria can be found not only inside the egg, but also outside, on the shell.

It is impossible to differentiate a clean product from an infected one by its appearance. Even when broken, such eggs are no different, except for the color of the yolk, but this is only an indicator of the nutritional value of the chicken diet and has nothing to do with the disease.

And yet eggs are different. Drinking or eating a clean fresh egg, a person gets pleasure and a portion of useful substances for the body, and eating a contaminated product - a terrible disease called "salmonellosis" with an incubation period of 6 hours to 3 days. Then follow several painful days (usually from 4 to 7), and in severe cases and insufficiently effective treatment there is even a risk of death.

A useful feature of salmonella for us is that it is afraid of high temperatures and cold. The death of the bacteria occurs at a temperature of 55-70 degrees. And if 55-degree heat kills salmonella within an hour and a half, then at 75 degrees it will die within only 5-10 minutes.

A comfortable temperature for salmonella is considered to be within 37-42 degrees. At this temperature, they begin to actively reproduce.

When a product contaminated with salmonella is frozen, the bacteria do not die, but in the cold they stop multiplying and it becomes much easier to fight them.

What is the risk of egg poisoning?

Eggs are a product that can be used to prepare many dishes. These include various baked goods, salads, desserts and much more. However, many of our compatriots also use eggs as an easy-to-prepare independent dish. Eggs can (and are healthy!) be eaten raw, boiled (soft-boiled, poached and hard-boiled) and fried (scrambled eggs, omelette). This is an ideal option for breakfast on the go and a light dinner.

However, this tasty product is safe to consume only if you know your egg supplier to be honest and care about the purity of their products, and you yourself always monitor the hygiene of your hands and work area in your kitchen while preparing and eating food.

The main risk factors for poisoning with your favorite product are eating raw eggs, especially if the owner of the product did not care much about the purity of the product, and cooking soft-boiled eggs. Poisoning with raw eggs can be considered the most likely and common cause of salmonellosis. At the same time, the chicken itself, laying contaminated eggs, produces meat that is dangerous to health in terms of the presence of salmonella.

Poisoning from boiled and fried eggs is, in principle, a rather rare phenomenon. For example, a boiled egg was in boiling water for a certain period of time, which has a temperature of at least 100 degrees. In 5-10 minutes in boiling water, the yolk manages to heat up even above the temperature dangerous for salmonella, so 10 minutes of boiling is usually enough to make the contaminated egg harmless.

The only danger is soft-boiled eggs, the yolk of which has not been heated to the required temperature to kill bacteria. Of course, there is less salmonella in such a dish than in a raw egg, so the poisoning will initially proceed in a milder form. But it is also necessary to take into account the fact that, getting into the intestines, where the temperature is simply ideal, even a single bacterium is capable of reproducing numerous offspring in a short time. The more time passes from the moment of infection, the more parasitic microorganisms there will be.

In principle, scrambled eggs with unhardened half-cooked whites can also be considered a probable source of infection. Poisoning from fried eggs, provided that the yolk is sufficiently cooked (the yolk is well-fried and hardened), does not occur.

Not so often, but still poisoning with rotten eggs happens. And here the cause of poisoning can be not only salmonella, but also other bacteria that cause spoilage of products when stored improperly, as well as after the expiration date.

This type of poisoning occurs only due to the fault of a person who eats stale food. It is not so difficult to distinguish a fresh egg from a spoiled one. A rotten egg has a softer shell, so the unpleasant smell can be felt even through it. The smell is even stronger if such an egg is broken.

If the whole egg has no smell and you do not plan to break it, shake the egg well. If you hear the sound of the yolk beating against the walls, the freshness of the egg should be questioned. If the contents inside the egg are pounding and splashing, the egg is most likely already rotten.

You can check the freshness of an egg by putting it in plain water. If the egg has sunk to the bottom, you don't have to worry about its freshness; the egg is a maximum of 3 days old. If the egg has become a column and is oscillating in the water, it is 3 to 7 days old. An egg that has floated to the surface is considered stale and is dangerous to eat, especially raw.

Rotten egg dishes also have an unpleasant smell and are slightly different in color. The fried egg comes out with a spreading light-colored yolk. Eating such dishes is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous.

Eggs are considered a legitimate guest on our table during Easter. Who wouldn't want to enjoy a rosy and beautifully painted Easter egg? Eggs are usually boiled in large quantities for Easter, so they are eaten for a long time, without worrying about the fact that long-term storage of eggs on the table (few people bother to put them in the cold) can lead to spoilage of the product and food poisoning.

Poisoning with Easter eggs has become especially relevant with the advent of brightly painted films that tightly fit the egg when it is dipped in hot water. Not only is the boiled egg subjected to repeated heating, which reduces its shelf life, but a microclimate is also formed under the film, which contributes to the development of putrefactive processes in the product. Eggs in the film are stored less than those that are left without "clothing".

It is clear that not only the conditions and duration of storage of the product play a role in preventing poisoning, but also the correctness of its preparation. A hard-boiled egg is less dangerous than a soft-boiled egg, and it does not matter whether it is prepared for a holiday or not.

So far we have been talking about poisoning from chicken eggs. But what about such a healthy dietary product as quail eggs?

There is an opinion that the quail's body with an elevated body temperature does not allow salmonella to settle in the egg. This supposedly excludes poisoning from quail eggs, despite the fact that they are mostly eaten raw. In theory, this may be exactly how it should be, but in reality, it is still possible to get poisoned by a quail egg.

Firstly, the quail egg is very small and its shell is quite fragile. Various pathogens can easily get into the egg through a crack in the shell. And salmonella is no exception, because it can live in the external environment, for example, on the outside of the shell.

Even an egg that is clean inside can become a source of infection if its shell has not been thoroughly washed with soap before consumption. After all, the possibility of pathogenic microorganisms living near the eggs on the shell cannot be ruled out. And here it does not matter what kind of bird gave birth to the egg. Do bacteria really care whether it is a quail egg or a chicken egg?

Secondly, stale quail eggs are no less dangerous than chicken eggs. Poisoning with rotten quail eggs may not be a common occurrence, but its possibility should not be ruled out either. Spoiled eggs must be disposed of. Is it a pity about the money spent? But isn't health more important than material goods?

And even more so if we are talking not only about your health, but also about the health of your relatives. For example, eggs must be included in the diet of a child whose body is in the growth phase, and therefore requires the intake of protein and nutrients hidden in the depths of the egg.

But poisoning a child with eggs is a big problem, because a child's body copes with intoxication worse than an adult's. Toxins released by bacteria destroy the baby's internal organs, which will result in big health problems in the future. And the mortality rate from intoxication in childhood is higher than in adulthood.

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Pathogenesis

Salmonellosis is a severe infectious disease. It is caused by gram-negative motile bacteria in the form of rods with flagella. Salmonella are bacteria that can live both in environments containing oxygen and without it.

The bacteria that cause salmonellosis are a fairly resistant type of microorganism. They survive in the external environment for several months, and when they enter a nutrient medium (eggs, dairy and meat products), salmonella begin to multiply rapidly. Dishes prepared from contaminated products have a normal taste and color, so a person may not even suspect the presence of an infection.

The small intestine of humans or animals also becomes a nutrient medium for salmonella. They choose special cells as a place of parasitism: macrophages (cells of the immune system) and reticulocytes (young erythrocytes that have not yet fully formed). With these cells, in the generalized form of the disease, salmonella enter the blood. The septic form of the disease is characterized by secondary purulent damage to the internal organs, where the pathogens of salmonellosis penetrate.

Damage to human organs is caused by endotoxin produced by salmonella.

Poisoning with eggs contaminated with salmonella is classified as food poisoning, since the bacteria enter the body with food products and practically poison it with toxins formed during the life processes of the bacteria.

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Symptoms egg poisoning

The clinical picture of egg poisoning largely depends on how many infectious agents entered the body during food intake and on the immune status of each individual. Symptoms of poisoning are primarily manifestations of intoxication of the body due to the vital activity of bacteria.

The first signs of the toxic effect of microbes on the body can be varied. Their appearance can be expected within the first day. However, in some cases (for example, when infected with salmonella), the asymptomatic period can last up to 3 days.

The following symptoms may indicate food poisoning:

• Spasmodic pain in the abdomen caused by inflammation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa, dyspepsia.
• Painful nausea with frequent vomiting over a long period of time (if the first signs appeared after a day, this symptom may be absent).
• Frequent urge to defecate and loose stools (in the case of salmonellosis, the stool becomes similar to a cloudy greenish liquid with a very unpleasant odor; mucus and blood may be present in the feces).
• Elevated temperature (with salmonellosis, fever usually has a wave-like character, lasts a long time, sometimes up to a month)
• Muscle weakness, loss of strength, sometimes loss of coordination.
• Headaches and dizziness (in severe cases, fainting and loss of consciousness are observed).
• Rapid pulse, increased heartbeat, shortness of breath, decreased blood pressure.
• Paleness of the skin, especially the face and lips, sometimes cold sweat appears on the skin.
• Dry skin, dry mucous membranes, thirst as a result of dehydration.

Severe intoxication of the body can be accompanied by symptoms of damage to various organs and systems: blurred vision, incoherent speech, hoarse voice, paresthesia of the limbs and body, the appearance of an unpleasant taste in the mouth, enlargement of some organs (liver, spleen), skin rash, the appearance of purulent-inflammatory foci in different parts of the body.

Stages

Conventionally, we can distinguish 3 stages of food poisoning:

1. Reactive-toxic stage. This stage lasts from the moment the bacterial infection contained in food products (in this case, eggs) enters the body until the first signs of poisoning appear. It proceeds almost asymptomatically, except that a person may feel some weakness. The presence of a bacterial factor at this stage can only be determined through laboratory tests.
2. Stage of severe toxicemia. Bacteria begin to actively multiply, producing toxins that begin to enter the blood in large quantities. This causes the appearance of obvious symptoms of poisoning, and the more active the process of reproduction of microorganisms, the more severe the patient's condition becomes.

If at this stage you remove contaminated foods from your diet and cleanse your body of toxins using enterosorbents, the disease will subside.

1. Stage of multi-organ dysfunction. If no treatment is taken at the second stage or if bacteria-infected eggs continue to be consumed, toxins begin to destroy internal organs, causing dysfunction. At this stage, symptoms of poisoning can be considered the least of the evils. Hypoxia, intestinal obstruction, purulent rashes on the skin, loss of consciousness, dehydration, decreased urine output (oliguria), sepsis and other dangerous signs are added to the usual symptoms.

Poisoning with stale eggs in most cases occurs in 2 stages and does not lead to critical disorders in the functioning of the body. Another matter is salmonellosis, in which damage to internal organs occurs quite often. In this case, the course of the disease depends not only on the initial amount of salmonella that entered the body along with the eggs, but also on the form of the pathology.

Salmonellosis can occur in 3 forms:

• Gastrointestinal. This is the most common form of the disease, which has an acute course with all the signs of inflammation of the stomach and intestines (gastroenteritis): pain in the epigastrium, nausea and vomiting, dyspeptic symptoms, diarrhea, pressing pain in the head, dizziness, severe weakness. Then symptoms of severe damage to the central nervous system (convulsive syndrome, paresthesia, loss of consciousness) and heart (increased and frequent heartbeat, low blood pressure) appear.

Symptoms may appear within a few hours, sometimes within the first two days.

• Typhoid. Quite a rare variant of pathology. It begins in the same way as the gastrointestinal form, but the manifestations of gastroenteritis are observed for only a couple of days, after which they disappear. Now the symptoms of intoxication come to the fore, and first of all the fever, which lasts from a week to a month. In some cases, against the background of high temperature, cough, sore throat and pain in the throat are also observed, which significantly complicates the diagnosis.

A specific sign of this form of salmonellosis is the appearance of a light pink rash in the chest and abdomen (observed after a week in 30% of patients), as well as an enlarged liver and spleen, which can be detected during physical examination and palpation.

• Septic. This is the rarest and most severe form of the pathology. It is characterized by a fever for a long time, which is accompanied by chills and profuse sweating. At the same time, purulent-inflammatory areas appear on various organs inside the body. The inflammatory process can involve the lungs, the endocardium of the heart, bones and cartilage, the lymphatic system, the brain, the upper respiratory tract (like angina), the peritoneum organs, etc.

In addition, there are 2 more non-specific forms of the disease:

• Bacterial carriage. Patients show no signs of the disease, but the pathogen can be detected during examination of biological material (tissues and secretions). In this case, there will be no antibodies to the pathogen in the person's blood.
• Subclinical. This form is also characterized by the absence of symptoms, but individual units of the salmonellosis pathogen can be isolated in the feces, and antibodies are found in the blood.

It is clear that in all cases of salmonellosis, if hygiene and sanitation requirements are not met, patients are a source of infection for other people and animals.

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Forms

Egg poisoning is a problem that lies in wait for us at every step, because contamination of a product so beloved by many with bacteria does not have such obvious signs that we observe when it spoils (color, smell, sound when shaken, etc.). What is the view on this problem from a medical point of view?

Bird eggs are a popular food product among people, used raw, as well as for cooking various dishes and baking. From this point of view, the consumption of stale (and spoilage of the product is always associated with a bacterial factor) or contaminated eggs with the subsequent appearance of symptoms of intoxication is considered food poisoning of a bacterial nature.

In turn, food poisoning of bacterial origin can be of 3 types:

• Bacterial toxic infections, the pathogenesis of which is associated with both living pathogens and the products of their vital activity – toxins.
• Bacterial intoxication, when the poisoning of the body is caused by toxins contained in food products, while there are either no living microbes at all or very few of them.
• Mycotoxicoses, in which the cause of poisoning is mycotoxins, which are considered to be a product of the vital activity of some mold fungi.

In the case of egg poisoning, we are talking mainly about foodborne toxic infections, which, although they occur with pronounced symptoms of poisoning of the body, very rarely lead to death.

Complications and consequences

It is clear that the toxic effect of bacteria on the body in case of egg poisoning cannot pass without a trace. It is just that some consequences can make themselves known almost immediately after the episode of poisoning or the course of treatment, and others will appear much later, and a person is unlikely to associate the emerging health problems with the consumption of contaminated eggs in the past. What can be the price of carelessness?

The consequences of the toxic effects of bacteria-contaminated products on the body can be:

• Violation of the body's microflora (in medical terminology, dysbacteriosis). Pathology can be a consequence of prolonged vomiting and diarrhea, which cleanse the gastrointestinal tract not only of harmful but also of beneficial microorganisms, as well as a side effect of antibiotic therapy in severe cases of poisoning.
• Chronic inflammatory pathologies affecting the stomach and intestines (gastritis, colitis). Against the background of severe irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum, peptic ulcer disease may well develop.
• Food allergy resulting from sensitization (increased sensitivity) of the body. In this case, allergic reactions can occur both after eating eggs and under the influence of various allergens.
• Insufficiency of kidney function. After all, the kidneys are the main filter of the body, and therefore, the main blow falls on their share.
• Arterial hypertension (hypotension). A consequence of toxic effects on the heart.
• Joint inflammation. Intoxication can be cured quite quickly, but the inflammatory process in cartilaginous tissues will require long-term treatment.
• Metabolic disorders and, as a consequence, the development of pathologies such as obesity and diabetes.
• Increased excitability of the central nervous system. Again, the result of toxic effects on the nervous system.

It is important to understand that children and the elderly are most susceptible to health problems due to food poisoning, as well as those who already had acute or chronic diseases of internal organs, and in particular the gastrointestinal tract, at the time of poisoning. For them, the consequences will be more severe.

Well, let's get back to salmonellosis and see what complications this dangerous infectious pathology can have. Let's consider the consequences depending on the active forms of the pathology.

The gastrointestinal form can occur with the following dangerous symptoms:

• collapse (a sharp drop in blood pressure),
• severe kidney and cardiovascular disorders,
• infectious toxic shock is a pathology that occurs with damage to vital organs and body systems,
• hypoxia due to toxic effects on the lungs and other organs of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems,
• dehydration of the body (weakness and fatigue, decreased performance, formation of kidney stones, difficulty with defecation, deterioration of the skin and muscles, etc.).

Typhoid and septic forms can have even more severe consequences:

• toxic shock again,
• inflammation of the membranes of the heart (myocarditis, endocarditis),
• inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia),
• the formation of blood clots in the vessels due to the inflammatory process in the venous walls,
• inflammation of the meninges,
• inflammation of joints and cartilage,
• inflammatory pathologies of the kidneys,
• disruptions in the functioning of the nervous system,
• development of infectious psychosis,
• abscess (purulent inflammation) of vital organs,
• inflammation of the appendix, which is known as appendicitis (in severe cases, if the intestine ruptures, it can lead to inflammation of the peritoneum),
• death of the patient.

In any case, if egg poisoning occurs with the development of an inflammatory process in the gastrointestinal tract, you will have to adhere to a special gentle diet for quite a long time so that the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines returns to normal.

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Diagnostics egg poisoning

Egg poisoning, and salmonellosis in particular, in most cases has an acute course with pronounced signs of gastroenterocolitis and intoxication of the body. And since there is practically no difference in the first symptoms between poisoning with a spoiled product and salmonellosis, then to exclude the latter, it is recommended to seek help from a medical institution. In severe situations, if a person has persistent vomiting and a high temperature, it makes sense to call an ambulance, which will take him to the infectious diseases department of the hospital.

The doctor examining the patient first clarifies what products can cause poisoning. If it turns out that the person ate raw eggs, egg-based dishes or baked goods the day before, there is every reason to suspect salmonellosis.

However, it is impossible to determine the presence of a bacterial pathogen and its type by eye. Therefore, the diagnosis is based on bacteriological studies. The material for research can be feces and vomit, as well as the patient's blood and urine.

Additionally, the doctor will ask you to take a general blood and urine test, which helps to assess the condition of individual organs and the entire body as a whole, as well as diagnose the inflammatory process.

Instrumental diagnostics in case of egg poisoning is not so relevant. It is used mainly to assess the condition of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. This can be a rectoscopy, which allows you to visually see the rectum from the inside using a special device, or an endoscopic examination of the stomach and duodenum for internal damage.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnostics helps to identify the exact cause of intoxication of the body. Differentiate salmonellosis from poisoning with stale eggs without salmonella.

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Treatment egg poisoning

Egg poisoning, like any other poisoning, requires active measures to stop the intoxication of the body and prevent dehydration. In order not to waste precious time searching for information on what to do in case of egg poisoning, when the poisoning episode has already occurred, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with this information in advance. After all, eggs are a frequent guest on our table, which means there is always a possibility of poisoning with this healthy, but not always safe food product.

If a little time has passed between the meal and the onset of poisoning symptoms, you can try to flush the stomach by drinking a large amount of warm water (you can add a little salt or potassium permanganate).

After a day or more, there is no point in doing a gastric lavage. In this case, it is advisable to cleanse the intestines with an enema.

Diarrhea and vomiting, in addition to painful urges and discomfort, also pose a noticeable danger in the form of removing water from the body, without which a person cannot live. As a result of dehydration, the work of many organs and systems is disrupted. To avoid this, you need to drink as much liquid as possible (some doctors recommend still mineral water or boiled water with added salt, which will help fight germs). In addition, water will help remove these same germs from the body.

Doctors advise to abstain from food on the first day of illness. On the second day, you can try to gradually include in the diet weak broths from meat and vegetables, dried bread, mashed baked potatoes.

Since the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract suffers greatly during poisoning, a gentle diet should be followed during the treatment of poisoning and during the recovery period. Products should be boiled or baked, well-mashed, soft. Canned food, fried. Spicy dishes should be excluded. Dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits can be included in the diet no earlier than a week later.

Drug therapy for egg poisoning

After all first aid procedures have been carried out, doctors recommend in any case to consult a specialist. After all, only a doctor can accurately determine the cause of poisoning, the stage of the disease, the degree of damage to certain organs and prescribe effective treatment, because without treatment it is not always possible to avoid the unpleasant consequences of food poisoning.

What medications can a doctor prescribe for egg poisoning? First of all, these are enterosorbent medications. In principle, medications of this type can be found in any home medicine cabinet or at a drug store. The medications that can bind and remove harmful and toxic substances from the body include "Activated carbon", "White coal", "Smecta", "Polysorb", "Polyphepan" and others.

You can take sorbents immediately after cleaning your stomach. Let's consider the features of using enterosorbents using the drug "Smecta" as an example.

This is a natural absorbent that attracts bacteria and viruses and removes them from the body without affecting intestinal peristalsis. It is used as part of a complex therapy for infectious diarrhea in both adults and children, including newborns. It is approved for use during pregnancy and lactation.

The medicine is produced in the form of powder for suspension preparation, placed inside a sachet. 1 sachet contains 3 g of the drug.

Adults are prescribed 3 dosed sachets per day, for newborns 1 sachet is enough. The children's dose ranges from 1 to 3 sachets per day. "Smecta" should be taken between meals.

The daily dose of the drug should be dissolved in water or other liquid taken in the amount of 50-100 ml, and then drunk in 3 doses. For small children, the powder can be added to semi-liquid soups, porridges, and purees.

It is not recommended to exceed the dose as it may cause constipation.

The drug is not prescribed in case of hypersensitivity to the drug, intestinal obstruction, fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption, sucrose-isomaltase deficiency.

When taking Smecta together with other medications, you need to maintain a 1-2 hour interval, because the absorbent can negatively affect the absorption of drugs in the intestine.

Along with the removal of toxins from the body, dehydration must be combated. Of course, you can try to drink more water, but this does not always help if we are talking about severe vomiting and diarrhea. The fact is that along with the liquid, useful minerals in the form of electrolytes also leave our body. Special preparations are designed to replenish the supply of water and electrolytes in the body: "Regidron", "Gastrolit", "Gidrovit", "Orasan", "Regidrin", "Orsol and others, which are produced in the form of granules and powder for preparing a solution.

Let's consider the use of one of these useful drugs. "Orasan" is a drug for oral rehydration, which normalizes the water-electrolyte balance and combats the manifestations of acidosis (acidification of the body). The inclusion of dextrose in the composition of the drug promotes better absorption of water and useful mineral salts.

The drug is available in dosed sachets, designed for 1 liter of water. The water should be boiled but cooled. Doctors recommend using the solution after each bowel movement for 7-10 hours.

The amount of solution to prepare is calculated based on the severity of diarrhea. The average daily dose is calculated from the ratio of 60 mg of solution per kilogram of the patient's weight. The minimum dose should not differ from the average by more than 2 times.

In severe cases of intoxication with repeated diarrhea and vomiting, a rehydration course may be repeated. If vomiting occurs, the medicine is given 10 minutes after the episode of gastric emptying.

The drug is not prescribed for hypersensitivity to its components and diabetes. Taking the drug may be accompanied by nausea.

If oral administration of rehydration agents is difficult, medications are administered by infusion in a hospital setting.

Along with salts and electrolytes, vitamins that are so necessary for life leave our body during diarrhea or vomiting. Therefore, in the recovery period after effective treatment, taking vitamin and mineral complexes (Undevit, Duovit, Vitrum, etc.) is recommended.

Intoxication is a strong and severe blow to the body, the recovery of which requires strength and coordinated work of the immune system. For this reason, at the final stage of the disease, immunostimulating drugs of both plant and synthetic origin are introduced into the therapeutic scheme (tincture and tablets of echinacea, tincture of eleutherococcus, drugs "Viferon", "Laferon", etc.).

Severe diarrhea can cause intestinal microflora disorders, which can be normalized with the help of such drugs as Linex, Bifiform, Lactobacterin, Bifidumbacterin and other probiotics. These same drugs will be useful if the doctor has prescribed antibiotic therapy, which happens quite often in cases of severe poisoning with eggs with a large number of excreted bacteria. The doctor chooses the antibiotic at his own discretion based on the results of bacteriological testing, but the patient can choose probiotics based on his financial capabilities.

Let's consider the most popular of the above-mentioned group of drugs, a probiotic. "Linex" is an antidiarrheal drug based on 3 different types of lactic acid bacteria that live in our intestines and are responsible for stabilizing its microflora. It can be taken both during and outside of antibiotic therapy.

The drug is available in capsule form. Contains lactose, so this medicine is not used in patients with metabolic disorders of this component.

A single dose for adults and children is 1-2 capsules. The medicine should be taken three times a day during meals. The exceptions are hot dishes and alcoholic beverages.

If the patient is unable to swallow the capsule, its contents are poured into a teaspoon of liquid. The solution is consumed immediately after mixing.

The drug should not be used in case of hypersensitivity to it due to the risk of side effects in the form of allergic reactions, itching, and skin rash.

Bacteria, getting into the digestive tract, have an irritating effect on its walls, which leads to inflammation of the mucous membrane. Even if the bacterial factor is removed, tissue restoration will require a certain amount of time. In order to reduce this time, doctors in the recovery period for egg poisoning can prescribe the drug "Methyluracil", which starts the process of regeneration of gastrointestinal cells and improves cellular immunity.

Methyluracil tablets should be taken with or after meals. Single dose for adults is 500 mg (1 tablet). Frequency of administration is 4 times a day.

The dose for children aged 3-8 years is half that of an adult. The medicine should be taken ½ tablet 3 times a day.

For children over 8 years of age, the dosage is determined by the doctor depending on the condition, from ½ to 1 tablet three times a day.

The course of treatment usually lasts 1 month.

The drug is not prescribed in case of hypersensitivity to its components, hemoblastoses, myeloid leukemia, lymphogranulomatosis, bone marrow oncology, during pregnancy and lactation. In pediatrics, it is used from 3 years of age.

Side effects include headaches and dizziness, heartburn, and allergic reactions.

Treatment of egg poisoning can be carried out both at home and in hospital (severe intoxications, typhoid and septic salmonellosis). Physiotherapeutic treatment for food poisoning is not carried out, however, as well as surgical treatment.

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Folk remedies

Egg poisoning can occur in different ways, it all depends on the number of pathogenic microorganisms that have entered the body, their type and the body's ability to resist a bacterial attack. In severe cases of food poisoning, it is recommended to seek help from specialists. Folk remedies in this case can only slow down the recovery process. But for mild poisoning, folk recipes will be just right, they will help cleanse the body of toxins and will facilitate its recovery after the disease.

Some folk recipes, such as a water solution of salt for washing the stomach, are also welcomed by doctors. The water should be slightly salty and warm. You need to drink it in large quantities (at least half a liter at a time). If a lot of water is drunk, and vomiting does not occur, you need to press on the root of the tongue with your finger, forcibly inducing vomiting. The stomach is washed as many times as necessary until it is completely cleansed, which will be indicated by the purity of the water excreted from the body.

The product has a good antimicrobial effect.

In cases where the stomach is empty and vomiting does not stop, the situation can be normalized with the help of lemon, adding a little sour juice to the liquids used to combat dehydration and remove toxins.

Speaking of removing toxins, herbal treatments can be helpful in this regard. Decoctions of dill and anise seeds have the property of quickly and safely removing toxins from the body. To prepare them, take half a teaspoon of seeds, pour a glass of boiling water over them and cook for 10-20 minutes. After that, the mixture is cooled naturally.

Anise seed decoction is taken on an empty stomach and vomiting is immediately induced to cleanse the stomach. 2-3 anise lavages are required.

A decoction of dill seeds or herbs is taken half a glass 30 minutes before meals once a day for several days.

By the way, kelp powder, known to many as seaweed, also has an excellent antitoxic effect. You can buy the powder at any drugstore. You need to take 3-5 g of powder every 2-3 hours, depending on the severity of the intoxication.

And now about tasty treatment. We are talking about herbal teas. In case of food poisoning, ginger drink and lemon balm tea will be useful. Ginger tea is prepared by pouring 1 teaspoon of ground root of the plant with a glass of boiling water and infusing the mixture for 20 minutes.

You need to take this useful medicine every half hour to an hour, drinking 1 tablespoon of the aromatic drink at a time, to which you can add a little honey to improve the taste.

To prepare lemon balm tea, pour 40 grams of the herb with two glasses of boiling water and leave for a quarter of an hour. Drink the prepared mixture during the day in 4 doses.

These tasty and healthy drinks will help replenish the body's lack of fluid and nutrients, have a calming effect, boost immunity and significantly reduce the intensity of intoxication symptoms.

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Homeopathy

If there are any readers who are fans of natural remedies related to homeopathy, this information should be of interest to them. In case of egg poisoning, as one of the types of food poisoning, homeopathic doctors advise finding the following homeopathic preparations in your medicine cabinet or purchasing them from a specialized pharmacy:

• Arsenicum album. This drug helps with poisoning with protein food of animal origin. Indications for its use are pain in the stomach and intestines, which become stronger at night, nausea and vomiting, severe diarrhea, spastic pain in the abdomen when drinking cold water.
• Hina. The medicine is prescribed to patients suffering from dehydration, complaining of fever and muscle pain. The medicine can be taken both during illness and during the recovery period, as it helps restore the body's vitality after a serious illness.
• Nux vomica. A remedy that will prove useful in any food poisoning that presents symptoms typical of egg poisoning: headaches, painful abdominal cramps, excruciating diarrhea and vomiting, weakness, etc.
• Camphor. The medicine is indicated for patients who, when poisoned, experience a sharp drop in blood pressure, increased heartbeat and pulse, hot flashes (with cold skin they experience internal heat), and pallor and cyanosis of the skin.
• Cuprum metallicum. Indications for the use of this medicine resemble the symptoms of salmonellosis: loose greenish stools, frequent vomiting, excruciating abdominal colic, cold sweat and chills, pink spots on the body, possible convulsions.
• Aconite. The drug is indicated for fever and severe diarrhea caused by food poisoning.

An effective dosage of drugs should be prescribed by an experienced homeopathic doctor, only then will the treatment of intoxication end with a quick recovery and restoration of the patient's body. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that homeopathic treatment is based on the principle of "fighting fire with fire", i.e. poisons and toxins are often eliminated with the help of the same poisonous substances. This means that prescribing drugs to yourself, and even choosing the dosage by eye, can be dangerous not only for health, but also for life.

Prevention

The question arises, how can this be done if there is always a chance to buy eggs of dubious quality (stale or contaminated with salmonella)? Indeed, it is not always possible to prevent such a dangerous purchase, but it is quite possible to make even contaminated eggs safe for health.

Fans of raw eggs can be advised to buy only fresh eggs from trusted sellers who regularly check their goods for quality. Raw chicken and quail eggs are useful for children and people whose work is associated with vocal cord strain. When buying goods for these groups of the population, you should always be very careful and scrupulous. If necessary, ask for documents confirming that the product is of high quality and safe.

If you are not sure about the quality of eggs, it is better not to risk it. Scrambled eggs with a "live" yolk, soft-boiled eggs, protein creams, curd paskha and other dishes in which eggs are not sufficiently heat treated cannot be prepared using a product of dubious quality.

Food preparation and consumption must be carried out with clean hands and kitchen utensils that have undergone high-quality cleaning.

Ready-made egg dishes, as well as raw eggs, cannot be stored for a long time at room temperature, and especially in heat, which will provoke rapid growth and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms inside the product. Only 10-minute heating at a temperature above 75 degrees will help to correct the situation, provided that the egg is heated evenly. Alas, such "disinfection" cannot always save a ready-made egg dish. A dish spoiled by improper storage should be thrown away.

So, heat promotes the reproduction of bacteria. At the same time, cold can significantly slow down this process. But remember that freezing a product cannot kill salmonella in it, which means that under the influence of heat, their vital activity will be restored.

With a scrupulous approach to the selection of products, as well as to the process of their preparation and consumption, such a problem as egg poisoning will most likely disappear from your life. By caring about your health and the health of your loved ones, buying quality products that have an appropriate price, you can make your life much happier than by giving preference to dubious savings.

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Forecast

In conclusion of the article on egg poisoning, let's talk about the chances of recovery and how to avoid food poisoning involving your favorite protein product. As in many cases of toxic effects of pathogenic bacteria on the body, the prognosis for treating patients depends on the severity of the poisoning. In turn, the severity of the disease depends on the number of bacteria that have entered the body, the age and state of the patient's immune system.

Poisoning with stale eggs and gastro-intestinal salmonellosis are much more treatable than typhoid or septic salmonellosis, which require hospitalization and active antibiotic therapy. But even mild degrees of poisoning are more difficult for children and the elderly, which means that relatives and friends should be especially careful with patients in these groups, trying to prevent such intoxications.