Food Poisoning

British Food Journal Volume 30 Issue 11 1928

Foodborne diseases remain a major public health concern worldwide, particularly in developing countries where awareness regarding microbial contamination of food is often limited. Among the most common foodborne pathogens are Salmonella and Escherichia coli, which are responsible for a wide range of gastrointestinal infections associated with contaminated food and water. The present study aimed to assess the level of public knowledge regarding these pathogens and general food contamination practices among individuals residing in the southern regions of India. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among randomly selected individuals from the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka using a structured questionnaire. The survey included questions assessing knowledge, awareness, and food handling practices related to foodborne pathogens. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate relationships among variables. A total of 210 participants completed the survey. Results indicated that while a moderate proportion of participants were aware that microorganisms can contaminate food (68%), only a smaller percentage correctly identified Salmonella (41%) and E. coli (38%) as common causes of foodborne illness. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between educational level and knowledge of foodborne pathogens (r = 0.46). PCA revealed two major components explaining the majority of variation: general awareness of food contamination and safe food handling practices. The findings highlight the need for improved public education and awareness programs focusing on food safety and prevention of microbial contamination. Strengthening public knowledge could contribute to reducing the burden of foodborne diseases in the region. Keywords: Foodborne pathogens, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, food contamination, public awareness, food safety, survey study, principal component analysis

This study suggests the possibilities of misdiagnosis in the investigations of food poisoning by <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and bacillus cereus with <i>kudoa septempuctata</i>.

Quality laboratory services are a requisite to guide rational case management of malaria. Using a pre-tested, standardized assessment tool, we assessed laboratory diagnostic capacity in 69 primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities as well as specialized laboratories in five administrative zones in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, during February and March 2009. There was marked variability in laboratory diagnostic capacity among the facilities assessed. Of 69 facilities surveyed, 53 provided both comprehensive malaria laboratory diagnosis and outpatient treatment services, five provided malaria microscopy services (referring elsewhere for treatment), and 11 primary care health posts provided rapid diagnostic testing and outpatient malaria treatment. The facilities' median catchment population was 39, 562 and 3581 people for secondary/tertiary and primary health facilities, respectively. Depending on facility type, facilities provided services 24 hrs a day, had inpatient capacity, and access to water and electricity. Facilities were staffed by general practitioners, health officers, nurses or health extension workers. Of the 58 facilities providing laboratory services, 24% of the 159 laboratory staff had received malaria microscopy training in the year prior to this survey, and 72% of the facilities had at least one functional electric binocular microscope. Facilities had variable levels of equipment, materials and biosafety procedures necessary for laboratory diagnosis of malaria. The mean monthly number of malaria blood films processed at secondary/tertiary facilities was 225, with a mean monthly 56 confirmed parasitologically. In primary facilities, the mean monthly number of clinical malaria cases seen was 75, of which 57 were tested by rapid diagnostic test (RDTs). None of the surveyed laboratory facilities had formal quality assurance/quality control protocols for either microscopy or RDTs. This is the first published report on malaria diagnostic capacity in Ethiopia. While our assessment indicated that malaria laboratory diagnosis was available in most facilities surveyed, we observed significant gaps in laboratory services which could significantly impact quality and accessibility of malaria diagnosis, including laboratory infrastructure, equipment, laboratory supplies and human resources.

This paper deals with the some of the important variable factors relating to health care in Saudi Arabia, with special emphasis on primary health. Other aspects considered are the financial influen...

Assessment of foodborne illness awareness and preferred information sources among students in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

ALTHOUGH food poisoning due to Clostridium perfringens was first reported by McClung in 1945 (1), there have been few well-documented reports of the association of C. perfringens with food poisoning in the United States. Recently Nelson and associates described an outbreak affecting college students under circumstances similar to those described here (2). Other outbreaks attributed to C. perfringens were reported in 1959 (3), and several scattered outbreaks since then have been summarized by Nelson (2). A food poisoning outbreak which began February 24, 1966, affected 366 college students fed through a common kitchen in a new dormitory complex at the University of Wisconsin. Salmonellae, shigellae, and staphylococci, usually incriminated in bacterial food poisoning, were not encountered, and heat-resistant C. perfringens was demonstrated as the cause and contaminated gravy as the vehicle. A preliminary report of this outbreak appeared in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of March 26, 1966, page 103.

Assessment of the surveillance system for adverse events following immunisation in the Gaza Strip: a cross-sectional study

Tuberculosis Global Report 2021 TB was being the major death caused by one infection agent. Result of health problem analysis in North Sumatra Provincial Health Office, TB was choosen as the first priority with main determinant low treatment coverage TB. The purpose of this study is to know the implementation of surveillance TB system based on system approach and evaluate based on surveillance attribute in North Sumatra Provincial Health Office 2022. The type of research is descriptive with evaluation design. Subject of the research was surveillance TB system has been implemented in North Sumatra and Deli Serdang Health Office District in 2021 with TB officer in Health Office. Data collected by interview with TB officer using questionarre and supported by document study. Evaluation was doing by system approach and based on surveillance attribute. The data interpreted by narration and table. Results of evaluation system component TB in Health Office in Provincial and District obtained that implementation system of TB was appropriate with surveillance guidelines and TB control guidelines by Ministry of Health. Based on attribute evaluation, from 9 attributes Health Office Provincial and Distrcit got 5 attributes with good results means that TB surveillance program was simple, acceptable, good data quality, sensitive, and stable but the surveillance program was not flexible, low predictive value positive, not timeliness, and not representative. Based on the evaluation results, TB surveillance system in North Sumatra Provincial Health Office and Deli Serdang District Health Office has a good system based on input, process, and output. Based on attribute surveillance, its still need some improvements in terms of increasing predictive value positive by doing screening people before TCM examination and analysis of cases by person place and time so the data would be representative and describe the real condition

Food not hygienically prepared and served is: harmful to health — food poisoning causes discomfort and illness, and, in serious cases, death disastrous for business — even the best established reputation can be wiped out by the publicity resulting from a case of food poisoning, or a bad report by the Environmental Health Officer (EHO).

Food borne illnesses are defined by the world health organization as diseases of infectious or toxic nature caused by consumption of contaminated foods or water. Food borne illnesses are classified in to two broad groups namely intoxication and infection. Intoxication is caused by ingestion of toxin produced by pathogens, while infection is caused by ingestion of food containing viable pathogens. Toxin can be present even when the bacteria or other causative agents are not and it is possible to develop food intoxication by eating animals that have consumed toxin producing organisms. Onset of illness is very rapid with food intoxication and people become very sick. The main causes of food borne illness are bacteria which constitutes 66% of the problems. Botulism, Clostridium perfringen gastro enteritis, E. coli infection, Salmonellosis and staphylococcal food poisoning are the major food illness caused by bacteria. Microorganisms present in food will grow under favorable conditions and will produce toxin in food. Following ingestion, toxins are absorbed through gastro intestinal epithelial lining and cause local tissue damage. In some cases toxins are translocated to distant organs or tissues such as kidney, liver, central nervous system or peripheral system where they can cause damage. The most common clinical symptoms of food borne illnesses are diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache and nausea. Food borne illnesses are usually diagnosed based on patient’s history and the symptoms. Food borne illness prevention system will depend on the extent of food safety control in place through food production, processing and distribution keeping food clean, separation of raw and cooked, and cooking thoroughly, keeping food at safe temperature and using safe water and raw materials are some of the important points especially for safety of food of humans. The high level of bacteria which could cause food borne illness in various foods presents public health risk to the consumer. This suggests the need to implement strict hygienic control measures along the food chain to improve the hygienic conditions during manufacturing, handling, storage and commercialization of foods.

An outbreak of food poisoning occurring in the Shizuoka Prefecture on June, 1969, was inferred to be caused by heat-sensitive Clostridium perfringens on the basis of epidemio-logical studies and bacteriological examinations. The results obtained are summarized as follows.1) Patients were employees of plants and offices in and around Numazu and Mishima Cities. Disease occurred in 313 persons out of 1816 who ingested the suspected food. Incubation period averaged about 11 hours (2-42 hours). Main symptoms consisted of diarrhea and abdominal pain with some chills, headache and nausea. Pyrexia and vomiting were rare. These symptoms were similar to those observed in infections with heat-resistant C. perfringens.2) Epidemiological studies indicated the source of food poisoning as the catered lunch. Since no food remnants were obtainable, bacteriological examinations were carried out only on faeces of the patients. As a result, heat-sensitive C. perfringens Hobbs' type 4 was isolated from 16 out of 34 patients (47.1%), and suspected to be mainly responsible for the present food poisoning. The organisms were not isolated from heat treated faeces (100°C, 60min), but from non heat treated faeces.3) While the causative organism was identified as the Hobbs' type 4, based upon its serological properties, the spore did ont withstand heating at 100°C for ten minutes in the medium of Kim et al. used for spore formation. The value ofα-toxin was 0.3-0.6.

The current study aimed to identify the phenomenon of food poisoning, its prevalence and impact on the disease cases that passed through the health centers in the municipalities of Qasr Al-Akhyar and Al-Qarabulli, especially after the talk about the presence of many cases of food poisoning in some Libyan cities on social media pages and some media channels. This study focused on the category of doctors, pharmacists and laboratory technicians as they are the most knowledgeable and aware of such cases. This study relied on the information collected through the questionnaire distributed to the aforementioned category in the health centers of the two municipalities. The results were extracted through the questionnaire, which indicated the presence of widespread food poisoning cases in the two municipalities, and their effects varied between mild, moderate and severe. The spread of food poisoning cases was due to poor food control and lack of consumer awareness. The results also showed that summer is the season with the most frequent cases of food poisoning, perhaps one of the reasons for this is the spoilage of food due to the frequent power outages in recent years. Accordingly, we reached many results in this study, through which we must clarify the importance of preserving consumer health by providing protection and control over all food sources, whether local or imported, while urging consumer awareness. The dangers of contaminated food are being raised through official media channels and social media pages.

The Field Epidemiology Training Program at the LCDC

Can Cyprus overcome its health-care challenges?