Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is the result of eating food contaminated by viral, bacterial or chemical agents. Depending on the severity of the poisoning, the symptoms of food poisoning range from diarrhoea and vomiting to fever and severe abdominal cramps, lasting from anywhere between a few hours to a day or two. In the case of Botulism and certain forms of chemical poisoning, the symptoms are severe and possibly life-threatening if medical treatment is not sought.
Symptoms Some common symptoms of food poisoning are:
People eating the same foods all became ill
Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal cramps and diarrhoea
Fever and chills in more severe cases
Weakness
Treatment Drink plenty of fluids to replenish the fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea, to avoid dehydration. If fluids cannot be kept down, intravenous fluid replacement may be required.
Where symptoms are severe or persistent, anti-diarrhoeal or antiemetic drugs are prescribed until the condition is under control. Infants, children, elderly people and anyone with diabetes or other chronic conditions should be monitored for dehydration and other potential complications.
Botulism requires immediate hospitalisation. Botulism can lead to respiratory failure and even death; prompt treatment greatly increases the chances for a full recovery.
Chemical poisoning may require the person's stomach to be pumped out as soon as possible, to minimise the effects of the poison on other organs by the time treatment is received for the specific toxin.
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