Are These The People In Your Neighborhood? Are These The People In Your Neighborhood? or A Look at Food Borne Illnesses

You may have noticed some new undesirable neighbors moving into your area! AAAActually you may have invited them in yourself! IIIIt is estimated that nearly 80 million Americans have some kind of “Food Borne Illness neighbor” move in each year.

 Some stay only a day but others may stay much longer. Some even make their hosts move on to other places (like the hospital).  About 5000 people die each year in the US from these unwanted guests.

 These neighbors are not friendly and can be the meanest to children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with chronic illness.

Let’s introduce you to some of these folks so that you can be on the look out for them.

Meet Stacy Staphylococci SSSStacy loves your skin and nose and throat. Coughs and sneezes are her special mode of transportation. SSSShe becomes very popular when people don’t wash their hands and use good sanitation practices.

Symptoms of Staph  As bacteria multiply they produce toxins that make you sick.  Abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea. Usually appear 1 to 8 hours after ingestion of infected foods. It usually last 1 to 2 days and is seldom fatal.

Meet Edgar E. Coli EEEEdgar loves undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk or apple juice. HHHHe seems a lot like Sally Salmonella with her stomach aches and flu-like symptoms but his specialty is eventual kidney failure.

Symptoms of E Coli  Sudden onset of abdominal pains and cramps, followed within 24 hours by diarrhea. Sometimes bloody diarrhea.  Onset of symptoms is usually 3 to 9 days after ingestion.  Usually lasts a week. Can progress to kidney and other problems.

Meet Bobby Botulism YYYYou’ll find him in low acid foods that have not been properly processed. (canned vegetables, etc.) HHHHe has no smell – he has no taste. HHHHe attacks your nervous system and is often deadly. He makes you have double vision and trouble swallowing.

Symptoms of Botulism  Double or blurred vision  Drooping eyelids and slurred speech  Symptoms usually occur from 18 to 36 hours after ingestion but can oocur as early as 6 hours or as late as 10 days.  Paralysis begins with eyes and progresses down.  Death can occur if not treated soon enough.

Meet Sally Salmonella SSSSally is usually found lurking in undercooked poultry and egg products. (under 165 degrees F.) SSSShe causes headaches, fever, diarrhea and general misery. SSSShe seems to like hanging around after Thanksgiving dinner or picnics on hot summer days.

Symptoms of salmonella  Sudden onset of nausea, cramping and diarrhea.  Fever is almost always a symptom along with headache and joint pain.  Onset of symptoms usually occurs within 6 to 72 hours after the ingestion of the bacteria.

Meet Harry Hepatitis-Rex HHHHarry comes from a long line of family with bathroom phobias. TTTTo keep him in control we need to maintain a high standard of cleanliness. (Wash hands for at least 20 seconds before handling food especially after using the restroom.)

Symptoms of Hepatitis A  There may be no symptoms  May be sudden onset of flu-like symptoms with headache and jaundice setting in later.

They have many other friends such as: ““““Lily” Listeria ““““Cami” Campylobacter ““““Claude” Clostridium Perfringens ““““Paul” Parasite ““““Molly” Mold ““““Tom” Toxoplasmosis

Keeping Bad Neighbors Out…

PPPPrevent Cross Contamination WWWWash hands often when cooking SSSSecure hair and use gloves when appropriate KKKKeep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. DDDDo not let food stay in the danger zone for more than 2 hours. (1 hour if it is over 90 degrees F.)

Danger Zone 111140 degrees F Bacteria grows best in this temperature zone. 44440 degrees F

 Read each scenario, then tell me what type of food- borne illness you would suspect they had. 

John had eaten dinner at the local buffet. About 10 hours later he began having gas pains and diarrhea. It only lasted about a day so he thought that maybe he just had the flu. John had eaten dinner at the local buffet. About 10 hours later he began having gas pains and diarrhea. It only lasted about a day so he thought that maybe he just had the flu. 1.Staphylococcus 2.E-coli 3.Botulism 4.Salmonella 5.Hepatitis

On Thursday Sarah went to the Burger Barn with her friends. She had a burger and fries. Sunday, when she woke up, she also thought that she had the flu. She had stomach cramps and was sick to her stomach. Soon she started throwing up and had a temperature of 100 degrees F. This continued on for several days and finally she was taken to the hospital with kidney failure. 1.Staphylococcus 2.E-coli 3.Botulism 4.Salmonella 5.Hepatitus

Jerrod’s mom loves to can the beans from their garden. Every year she gets her pressure cooker check at the extension agency to make sure that the pressure gauge is correct. Last year she was not feeling well and decided to skip the pressure gauge check because she had done it just last year. Jerrod ate some of the beans that she canned and about 1 day later he is having trouble speaking and swallowing, double vision and droopy eyelids. 1.Staphylococcus 2.E-coli 3.Botulism 4.Salmonella 5.Hepatitus

Stomach pain, diarrhea, chills, fever and a headache are some of the symptoms that Chad is experiencing. It might be a flu virus but what else might it be? He wondered about the hamburger he ate yesterday but he used a thermometer to check the temperature and it was cooked to 165 degrees F. The only other thing that he had to eat was when he scraped out the bowl of chocolate cookie dough and ate it. 1.Staphylococcus 2.E-coli 3.Botulism 4.Salmonella 5.Hepatitus

In foods class last week several people were sick. In unit 7, Jeremy wasn’t feeling well but he still decided to cook. He was in a hurry so he didn’t bother to wash his hands well. About 1 hour after class was finished one of the girls in his unit began vomiting and had diarrhea 1.Staphylococcus 2.E-coli 3.Botulism 4.Salmonella 5.Hepatitis