Food poisoning

Synonyms

food intoxication, food poisoning, food intoxication

Definition

The term food poisoning describes a gastrointestinal disease caused by toxins ingested with food/nutrition. These toxins are toxins that originate from bacteria, fungi, plants, metals, their compounds or marine animals. Food poisoning by bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens (enterotoxin producers) are relatively common, but show an even higher number of unreported cases.

In Germany, only 10 to 30 persons per year suffer from food poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum thanks to appropriate food hygiene. In general, it is difficult to collect data on the frequency of food poisoning, since on the one hand many cases are not reported and on the other hand suspicion of intoxication/food poisoning is already given. Food poisoning is caused by the oral intake of toxins.

These can have the following origin: The toxin-forming bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium botulinum. Their toxins are often contained in dairy or egg products, meat, fish or mayonnaise (potato salad). Examples of fungal toxins that cause food poisoning are amatoxin (including the green cep), muscarin (toadstool) or orellanin (including orange fox roughage).

Toxins contained in plants include atropine, scopolamine or solanine, for example from nightshade plants. Metals that cause food poisoning include arsenic or lead. Tetrodotoxin of puffer fish (among others), saxitoxin of some mussels as well as ciguatoxin of certain unicellular organisms (dinoflagellates) belong to toxins of marine animals, which can cause food poisoning.

  • Bacteria
  • Mushrooms
  • Plants
  • Metals/Metal compounds
  • Fish/Shellfish

The diagnosis of food poisoning is made by the doctor primarily on the basis of the medical history and the clinical picture. A medical history is indicative of food poisoning if several people complain of the same symptoms who have eaten together within the last 16 hours. Under certain circumstances, detection of the corresponding toxin in the food consumed may also be possible.

In the case of botulism, vomit, stool, serum and gastric juice can also be tested for the presence of the toxin to diagnose food poisoning. Food poisoning is treated by water and electrolyte replacement. For some bacterial pathogens, antibiotics can be administered.

Antidote administration against certain toxins is also a therapeutic option, for example the administration of chelating agents in the case of lead poisoning. The treatment of botulism includes a gastrointestinal evacuation to remove the toxin from the intestine. In addition, an antitoxin is given to bind and render the free botulism toxin harmless. If respiratory paralysis has already occurred, the patient is also ventilated.