1. Food Poisoning Larry Lambert, EMT-paramedic Main Pass 252

2. Definition of Food Poisoning Food poisoning is the result of ingesting organisms or toxins in contaminated food.

3. Causes of Food Poisoning Staph aureus E coli Salmonella Shigella Cholera Botulism Mushroom Poisoning Listeria

4. Risk Factors for Food Poisoning Elderly Children Having a serious medical condition –Kidney disease –Diabetes –Immune Deficiencies i.e.. HIV Pregnant and Breastfeeding women

5. Signs and Symptoms of Food Poisoning Nausea and vomiting Abdominal cramps Diarrhea – blood in stool Fever and chills Weakness Headaches

6. Treatment of Food Poisoning Usually you will recover in several days Drink plenty of fluids – No caffeine or milk Dont eat solid or hard to digest food Children should be given OTC fluid replacement drinks i.e.Pedilyte Rx for diarrhea i.e. Imodium

7. More Serious Cases of Food Poisoning Respiratory problems (Botulism) Kidney Problems (E coli) Bleeding Disorders (E coli) Nervous System Disorders (Botulism) Pericarditis (Salmonella) Death (mushrooms and fish i.e. puff fish)

8. When to go to the Doctors? You have diarrhea and are unable to drink fluids due to nausea or vomiting If you are taking diuretics (i.e. lasix) Diarrhea lasts over three days You have a fever over 101 degrees F

9. When do you call 911? Problems breathing Your dehydration is causing dizzy, light headed or you pass out You feel your heart racing, pounding or skipping beats If you believe you got the poisoning from mushrooms or fish You have symptoms such has double vision, difficulty speaking or paralysis

10. Prevention of Food Poisoning Wash your hands before preparing food, handling utensils and dishes Cook food thoroughly – use a thermometer –Beef 160 - degrees F –Poultry – 180 degrees F –Fish – 140 degrees F Do not place cooked meat or fish back on the same plate that is was on when it was raw

11. Prevention of Food Poisoning Promptly refrigerate any food you will not be eating right away. Keep refrigerator set to around 40 degrees F DO NOT EAT… meat, poultry or fish that has been refrigerated longer than 1 to 2 days DO NOT EAT…..out dated foods DO NOT USE …. foods that have an unusual odor or spoiled look to them

12. Other Prevention Steps to take If you take care of children wash your hands often and dispose of diapers carefully If you can your own fruits and vegetables follow proper canning techniques to prevent botulism DO NOT FEED honey to children under 1 yr old DO NOT EAT wild mushrooms

13. The key to preventing food poisoning is good food handling practices along with proper personal hygiene. Remember there are 3 stages of food poisoning: 1) You think you are going to die 2) You wish you were going to die 3) You realize you wont die!!!