The Big Five
Highly infectious types of illnesses
Shigella
The illness caused by Shigella accounts for less than 10% of the reported outbreaks of food-borne illness in this country. Shigella rarely occures in animals, usually occures within humans. Associated foods: Salads, raw vegetables, milk & dairy products.
Salmonella
Most people infected by Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infected. Illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days and most people recover without treatment. Children are the most likely to get Salmonellosis. Preventation for Salmonella is do not eat raw or uncooked eggs. Raw eggs may be used in some foods such as homemade hollandaise sauce.
E Coli.
E. coli can get into meat during processing. If the infected meat is not cooked to 160°F (71°C), the bacteria can survive and infect you when you eat the meat. Raw milk or dairy products. Bacteria can spread from a cow's udders to its milk. May cause bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting. Most people get better in about a week. They often don't see a doctor and don't know that E. coli caused their problems.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, are distinct diseases that affect the liver and have different hepatitis symptoms and treatments. Other causes of hepatitis include recreational drugs and prescription medications. Hepatitis type is determined by laboratory tests. Can cause
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
Norovirus
Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause inflammation of the stomach and large intestine lining. Noroviruses are sometimes called food poisoning, because they can be transmitted through food that's been contaminated with the virus. People become infected with noroviruses when they eat food or drink liquids that have been contaminated; raw or undercooked oysters and raw fruits and vegetables have been implicated in some outbreaks.