| Foodborne illness are one of the leading causes of | | | | failure.Norwalk virus is an extremely common cause of |
| emergency room visits in the United States, and | | | | foodborne illness, though it is rarely diagnosed, because |
| account for millions of dollars in expenses and | | | | the laboratory test is not widely available. It causes an |
| thousands of days of lost work time every year. | | | | acute gastrointestinal illness, usually with more vomiting |
| What are some of the most common | | | | than diarrhea, that resolves within two days. Unlike |
| bugs?Campylobacter is a bacterial pathogen that | | | | many foodborne pathogens that have animal |
| causes fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. It is the | | | | reservoirs, it is believed that Norwalk-like viruses |
| most commonly identified bacterial cause of diarrheal | | | | spread primarily from one infected person to another. |
| illness in the world. These bacteria live in the intestines | | | | Infected kitchen workers can contaminate a salad or |
| of healthy birds, and most raw poultry meat has | | | | sandwich as they prepare it, if they have the virus on |
| Campylobacter on it. Eating undercooked chicken or | | | | their hands. Infected fishermen have contaminated |
| other food that has been contaminated with juices | | | | oysters as they harvested them.Salmonella is another |
| dripping from raw chicken is the most frequent source | | | | bacterium that is widespread in the intestines of birds, |
| of this infection.E. coli is a bacterial pathogen that has a | | | | reptiles and mammals. It can spread to humans via a |
| reservoir in cattle and other similar animals. Human | | | | variety of different foods of animal origin. The illness it |
| illness typically follows consumption of food or water | | | | causes, salmonellosis, typically includes fever, diarrhea |
| that has been contaminated with microscopic amounts | | | | and abdominal cramps. In persons with poor underlying |
| of cow feces. The illness it causes is often a severe | | | | health or weakened immune systems, it can invade |
| and bloody diarrhea and painful abdominal cramps, | | | | the bloodstream and cause life-threatening |
| without much fever. In 3 percent to 5 percent of | | | | infections.As you can see, foodborne illness are nothing |
| cases, a complication called hemolytic uremic | | | | to fool around with. If you suspect you have one, get |
| syndrome (HUS) can occur several weeks after the | | | | medical help immediately!Andrew Krause is a Chef |
| initial symptoms. This severe complication includes | | | | and Pastry Chef for over 30 years, at present I own a |
| temporary anemia, profuse bleeding and kidney | | | | Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner. |