Symptoms of food poisoning

Symptoms of food poisoning depend on the amount of low-quality products or toxic substances that have entered the gastrointestinal tract, the type of toxin or the type of pathogen that causes toxic infections.

As a rule, food poisoning occurs due to eating poorly made foods, cooked dishes, or if food is not properly stored. Less commonly diagnosed intoxication poisonous substances. Food toxicoinfections are divided into two categories - non-bacterial (poisonous plants, fungi, chemical components) and bacterial - food toxicoinfections. Signs of food poisoning can be very diverse - from colic and diarrhea to kidney failure and disorders of the central nervous system, in addition, the symptoms are directly related to the type of intoxication.

Typical clinical picture of food poisoning: 

• Nausea.
• Colic, abdominal cramps.
• Diarrhea.
• Vomiting.
• Increased salivation.
• Increased body temperature.
• Dehydration.
• Drop in blood pressure.
• Possible disorders of the central nervous system and even coma.

Symptoms of food poisoning often appear 1-2 hours after ingestion of a poor-quality product or poisonous substance, but can also be noticeable only a day after ingestion of a toxin or pathogen into the body.

The main types and signs of dangerous poisoning: 

1. Salmonellosis is a bacterial intoxication caused by one of the serotypes of the family Enterobacteriaceae, of the genus Salmonella. Acute poisoning develops quickly, within 3-6 hours. Characterized by a sharp increase in body temperature, fever, abdominal cramping, vomiting, and multiple liquid stools. The texture of the stool is watery, with foam and a specific odor. Diarrhea lasts 2-3 days even with adequate treatment. Complications of salmonellosis can be infectious-toxic or dehydration shock. 
2. Food toxicoinfection caused by food infected with Staphylococcus aureus - Staphylococcus. Signs of such intoxication appear after 2-5 hours after eating food (most often dairy or meat). The main symptoms are nausea, turning into indomitable, repeated vomiting, lethargy, weakness, headache, and colic. Diarrhea develops within 1-2 hours after nausea and lasts from 12 to 24 hours. Body temperature, as a rule, is not elevated; no mucus or blood impurities are observed in the stool. 
3. Dysentery (shigellosis),. Which is provoked by shigella chopsticks. The disease most often debuts acutely. The main symptoms of food poisoning: 
   • The sharp rise in body temperature to 39 degrees.
   • Chills, feverish state.
   • Pain in the lower abdomen (lower zone of the large intestine). The pain changes character - from dull, aching to cramping, acute. 
   • Nausea and vomiting.
   • Flatulence.
   • Repeated urge to defecate, diarrhea (sometimes up to 20 times a day). Defecation is painful (tenesmus), the first 2-3 days are abundant, then the stool becomes more liquid, watery and lean. In the feces may be admixed with blood. 
   • Severe dehydration, leading to dry skin.
   • Lowering blood pressure. 
4. Botulism is a severe toxicoinfection caused by Clostridium botulinum anaerobic sticks. The incubation period can vary from several hours to two days. The first signs of poisoning are atypical weakness, transient headache. Diarrhea or vomiting is usually not observed, since toxins most often affect the activity of the central nervous system. Vision is impaired (oculomotor nerves are affected), paresis of facial muscles develops (smoothing of nasolabial folds, mask-like face). Dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, developing aphonia, paralysis of the muscles of the pharynx and soft palate are all life-threatening symptoms of food poisoning, which often lead to suffocation and death.

Severe food poisoning manifests itself in 1.5-2 hours after consuming low-quality food or poisonous substances. The clinical picture of acute intoxication depends on the type of toxicoinfection. If it is food toxicoinfection, the symptoms appear in the form of cramping abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Disorder of the chair can be intense - up to 15-20 times a day, it can lead to severe dehydration and hypovolemic shock. If the poisoning is associated with poisons (toxins), acute symptoms primarily affect the central nervous system. Coordination disorders, ophthalmological dysfunctions, facial and laryngeal paralysis, asphyxiation may develop. Severe food poisoning with plants or mushrooms causes a feeling of dryness, viscosity in the mouth, headache, nausea, and invincible vomiting.

Food poisoning in adults

It proceeds as hard as in children, although the child’s body is less protected and adapted to use many products familiar to the older generation. It's all about the range and quantity of food. Only an adult can afford to “experiment” with the abuse of alcoholic beverages or treats in the form of seafood. Children are often deprived of these dubious food pleasures, and the portions they are able to eat are much smaller. Food poisoning in adults can provoke such reasons (dishes, substances, events): 

• Mushrooms, most often unfamiliar species.
• Oysters, shrimps, mussels.
• Caviar, milt, liver of fish.
• Bad roasted meat.
• Smoked meat - fish or meat.
• Canned homemade products.
• Mass feasts (weddings, anniversaries), where the amount of food eaten and the combination of incompatible dishes can lead to food poisoning.

The digestive organs in adults are more adaptive to different foods than the child’s gastrointestinal tract, and therefore toxicoinfection most often develops more slowly than in the younger generation. The immune and enzymatic system actively enter into the fight against intoxication, this reason is sometimes explained by the late "start" of the symptoms of food poisoning in adults.

Food poisoning during pregnancy

The symptoms of food poisoning are not much different from the intoxication of women before or after the period of pregnancy. The only difference is that more evident symptoms are possible, since the presence of toxicosis aggravates the uncomfortable state of the future mother. In addition, indomitable vomiting and diarrhea can lead to thickening of the blood and provocation of thrombus formation. Dehydration often activates the production of oxytocin, which can increase the contraction of the uterus, with all the ensuing consequences. But, fortunately, food poisoning during pregnancy has little effect on the general condition of the mother and fetus, especially if detoxification measures are taken in a timely manner.

Symptoms of foodborne illness in pregnant women: 

• Loss of appetite, weakness.
• Pain in the epigastric region, often cramping.
• Sensation of nausea, passing into vomiting.
• Flatulence.
• Diarrhea.
• Headache and slight hyperthermia.

[1], [2]

Symptoms of food poisoning mushrooms

These are heavy, life-threatening intoxications. Symptoms of food poisoning most often appear after 4-6 hours after eating poisonous mushrooms. The most dangerous is pale toadstool, then in the list is a mushroom and conditionally poisonous mushrooms (lines). 

1. Poisonous toadstool poisoning can occur when even a few grams of it are consumed. The clinical picture becomes characteristic only after 12-24 hours, this is a life-threatening factor, because during such a temporary period, toxins have time to get into the bloodstream. Signs of intoxication: 
   • Pain in the muscles of the body.
   • Feverish condition.
   • Severe abdominal pain.
   • Diarrhea with blood.
   • Yellow skin tone.
   • Delay urination.
   • Drop in blood pressure, slow pulse.
   • Cramps.
   • Suffocation.
2. Amanita poisoning manifests itself much faster - in 20-40 minutes. Signs: 
   • Nausea.
   • Vomiting.
   • Colic and abdominal cramps.
   • Upset stool.
   • Increased sweating.
   • Dyspnea.
   • Involuntary drooling, which causes the alkaloid - muscarin.
   • Cough with sputum.
   • Crazy condition, hallucinations.
   • Cramps.

Food poisoning with mushrooms is the result of the arrogance of mushroom food lovers, although at present many spore plants (eukaryotes) mutate so quickly that even experienced mushroom pickers can make the wrong choice.

Symptoms of food poisoning fish

This is most often poisoning by caviar, milt, or fish liver. In addition, there are exotic species of sea or river dwellers that are not recommended as food, these are marinas, Ottomans, moraines, and others, fortunately unfamiliar to the ordinary philistine. Caviar can cause toxicoinfection, since during the period of spawning, even the habitual stomach of the fish begins to release toxic substances, which can remain in small quantities in eggs, liver or milt. During spawning, you should not eat the listed food components, especially if it is liver of a perch, burbot, caviar of mackerel or pike. Also, the use of mackerel itself can cause a strong allergic reaction, since its meat contains a large amount of histamine. Shellfish may contain a dangerous toxin - saxitoxin, which belongs to the neuro-paralytic poisons. Signs that manifests food poisoning fish, characterized by rapid development. Symptoms of food poisoning are noticeable literally 20-30 minutes after eating a toxic part of the fish. Colic in the stomach, vomiting, dizziness up to loss of consciousness, loss of coordination and vision, asphyxiation are manifestations of food intoxication caused by fish products.

[3], [4]

Food poisoning with cottage cheese

Most often happens in the spring-summer period, when the ambient temperature is raised and creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria in fermented milk products. You should not eat cottage cheese without heat treatment, especially bought on the market, as if from a domestic cow. Statistics show that dairy products from cows in the home are the main source of salmonellosis or dysentery in the summer. In addition to salmonella, enterococci of various groups, that is, intestinal sticks, “love” to reproduce in cottage cheese, and staphylococcus is often detected in cottage cheese products. Food poisoning with cottage cheese is characterized by a sharp debut, the disease develops rapidly and is manifested by the following symptoms: 

• Cramping pains in the epigastric region, colic.
• Sudden weakness
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Diarrhea with pain.
• Increased fever and fever are characteristic of salmonellosis or dysentery.

Food poisoning with cottage cheese in institutions, canteens or other public places of food often lead to massive food intoxication.

[5], [6], [7]

Mass food poisoning

This is a food route of infection, as food is not only the carrier of harmful microorganisms, but also a good breeding ground for them. Mass infections can be triggered by the consumption of dairy, meat products, dishes containing eggs or butter. All foods containing protein, boiled water, unwashed fruits or vegetables are a source of potential food infection. Especially often there are mass poisonings in the summer period during celebrations - anniversaries, weddings, and so on. Also, the carrier of the infection may not be a product, but a person who cooks food or contaminated water, dishes, equipment. Mass food poisoning “starts” rapidly, with signs of a food infection several people go to the hospital at the same time, eating food in the same place. Symptoms of food poisoning depend on the type of pathogen. As a rule, they are identical for all patients.

[8], [9], [10], [11], [12]

Poisoning food additives

This is intoxication with natural or artificial substances added to food. In dietetics and toxicology, there is the concept of "syndrome of Chinese cuisine", which describes the characteristic allergic reaction to certain flavorings to Chinese dishes. Food ingredients are added to products to improve their organoleptic properties, but most additives are banned in European countries and the United States, because they provoke massive food poisoning and even cancer. Symptoms of poisoning with food additives are more often similar to signs of allergy, at least the initial stage of the development of toxic infection appears as an allergic reaction:

1. Rash.
2. Itching.
3. Swelling of the face and limbs.
4. Colic, abdominal pain.
5. Rarely - diarrhea.

Any synthetic oxidizing agents, stabilizers, dyes, preservatives or thickeners are not natural, usual for the digestive tract substances. Exceeding the permissible norms or eating foods of dubious origin can lead to the accumulation of harmful substances in the body and the debut of food poisoning even while maintaining a strict diet.

[13], [14], [15],

Food poisoning with dairy products

The phenomenon is frequent, especially in the spring-summer period. A variety of dairy products is really impressive - biokefir, ryazhenka, yogurts with different flavoring fillers, home-made cheese or cottage cheese - how can you resist and not try healthy and tasty food. Despite its obvious benefits, all dairy products are sources of potential intestinal infection. Viruses, microbes, fungi, pesticides and salts of heavy metals, parasitic infections and biotoxins - just what epidemiological laboratories do not find in dairy products. Milk is also the most frequent “culprit” of mass food poisoning, when technological rules and regulations are grossly violated in the process of cooking food or products. In addition, all dairy products are classified as perishable, even yogurt from a reputable manufacturer can be a source of toxic infection if it is on the store shelf for more than a fixed period. Food poisoning with dairy products is manifested as typical enteral intoxication: cramping abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

[16]

Baking soda poisoning

Practically does not occur in toxicological practice. Sodium bicarbonate, on the contrary, was previously considered a panacea for almost all diseases; soda was treated with high blood pressure, cleaned the intestines and relieved heartburn symptoms. Indeed, if it is not possible to get emergency medical care if you are intoxicated with alcohol, iodine, phosphorus or mercury, soda will be suitable as an ambulance drug: washing the stomach with soda solution will help to slightly stop the spread of the poison. However, in case of toxic infection with various types of acids (hydrochloric acid, vinegar), soda cannot be used. In such cases, the initiative can actually trigger baking soda poisoning. The reaction of sodium and acid is accompanied by rapid release of carbon dioxide, the primary intoxication not only does not stop, but also develops much faster and harder.

[17], [18], [19], [20]

Symptoms of food poisoning meat

These are 4 forms of classical intoxication with meat products: 

1. Rotten meat, in which there are toxins of enterovirus or paratyphoid bacilli, manifests symptoms of food poisoning, similar to dysentery and whether cholera. Such toxic infections are called gastroenteritis. Fever, general weakness, in addition to persistent diarrhea and vomiting, can lead to cachexia (exhaustion) and death. 
2. Meat, which contains typhoid bacillus, provokes not only local intoxication of the intestinal tract, but also the poisoning of the whole organism. Symptoms develop rapidly, from chills and high body temperature to loss of consciousness. Diarrhea is rare, as is persistent vomiting. 
3. Putrid toxins that are found in spoiled meat can cause paralytic symptoms - dilated, immobile pupils, dry mouth sensations, tachycardia, visual disturbances and impaired coordination. Paralysis covers the entire musculature and often causes the bowels to stop functioning. 
4. The most dangerous type of poisoning with meat products is botulism. Food poisoning with meat, which contains Clostridium botulinum, is a threat to human life. There comes paralysis of the eye muscles, the pupils dilate, there is a sharp weakness. Botulism is manifested not only by ophthalmologic symptoms, the syndrome of respiratory failure and swallowing, as well as the disturbance of the central nervous system, are most dangerous.

[21], [22], [23], [24]

Symptoms of food poisoning with canned food

This is most often poisoning by botulinum toxins, since these anaerobic rods can live and multiply only in a sealed environment, that is, without access to air. Less commonly, canned foods contain other dangerous microorganisms - staphylococci, enteroviruses. The signs that canned food poisoning manifests itself are typical of the clinical picture of botulism: 

• Headache, growing gradually.
• Dry mouth, decreased salivation.
• General weakness, malaise.
• Subfebrile body temperature, rarely hyperthermia to 38-39 degrees.
• Vomiting or diarrhea are not characteristic of botulism, more often there is constipation.
• Ophthalmic impairment - double vision, “fog”, asymmetric dilation of the pupils.
• Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing food and even fluids.
• Strong muscle weakness, a person is not able to keep his head upright.
• Decreased blood pressure.
• Violation of urination (delay) due to paralysis of the bladder.
• Paralysis of breath.

Symptoms of food poisoning can be varied, but there are also typical manifestations of them - colic, diarrhea, vomiting. At the first signs of poisoning, you need to assess the severity of the patient's condition and seek medical help.

[25]

Food poisoning in children is dangerous due to its rapid development.

Unlike adults, the child has a poorly developed gag reflex, especially in children under one year of age. In addition, the child's body quickly loses fluid during diarrhea and vomiting, dehydration is the main threat to the baby’s life. The weight of his body is small and the loss of even 500 ml of fluid is fraught with kidney failure and hypovolemic shock. Many of the procedures that are intended as first aid are also not applicable to children at home. The child is simply unable to take a large number of tablets of activated carbon, sometimes he refuses the drinking regimen, which is necessary in case of toxic infection. Cleansing enemas and drugs often have to be applied in inpatient conditions. In the clinical sense, food poisoning in a child is much sharper and is accompanied by lethargy, weakness, diarrhea, cyanosis of the skin, a weakening of heart and kidney function.