Foodborne Diseases Caused by Microorganisms

Foodborne Diseases Caused by Microorganisms

Food poisoning:

• An acute gastrointestinal illness caused by consuming food contaminated with bacteria and their toxins, or food with toxic properties.

• Accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.

• Can cause acute or chronic poisoning due to the accumulation of harmful substances, leading to death.

Foodborne illness:

• A disease transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food.

• Typically an infection or intoxication from natural sources.

• The pathogen enters the body through the digestive tract.

Distinguishing between intoxication and infection:

• Infection: often causes fever.

• Intoxication: causes weakness, respiratory distress, sensory disturbances, numbness in hands and feet, double vision. Intoxication affects multiple organs.

Common symptoms:

• Diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea are common symptoms of both intoxication and infection.

Factors affecting the growth and survival of microorganisms:

• Intrinsic factors:

• Moisture

• pH

• Oxidation-reduction potential

• Nutrients

• Antimicrobials

• Biological structure

• Extrinsic factors:

• Heat treatment

• Storage temperature

• Humidity

• Air conditions

• Presence of other organisms

Extrinsic factors affecting microorganisms:

• Extrinsic factors: Heat treatment, temperature, humidity.

• Intrinsic factors: Acidity, salt concentration, food composition, preservatives.

Foods susceptible to bacterial contamination:

• Meat, seafood, and low-acid vegetables create conditions for bacteria to enter and grow.

• Fruits, juices, soft drinks, vinegar, and alcohol have high acidity and a lower pH than bacteria can tolerate.

Bacterial growth depends on:

• pH

• Temperature

• Acid type

• Salt concentration

• Food composition

• Presence of preservatives

Types of disease-causing microorganisms:

• Bacterial agents: Salmonella, Campylobacter, Proteus, Listeria, Brucella, Vibrio Cholerae

• Bacterial toxins: Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium Botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus

• Viral agents: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Rotavirus, Parvo virus (Norwalk type), Poliovirus

• Parasitic agents: Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia

Source of bacteria:

• Listeria monocytogenes: hot dogs, meat

• Escheria coli: sausage, frozen beef

• Clostridium botulinum: meat, fish, canned fruits and vegetables

• Salmonella: poultry eggs

pH:

• The pH of fruits and living animals is lower.

• pH is an intrinsic factor of food that affects the growth of microorganisms.

Toxin formation:

• Production of toxins during the growth stage in food: S. aureus, Bacillus aureus, Clostridium botulinum

• Secretion of toxins after invading and residing on the surface of the digestive tract: ETEC, Vibrio cholerae

Microorganisms invading the mucous membrane of the digestive tract:

• Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni do not cause cell necrosis.

• Shigella and Yersinia enterocolitica cause cell necrosis.

Incubation period:

• Salmonella: 1-3 days

• Staphylococcus aureus: 1-6 hours

• Clostridium botulinum: 12-24 hours

• Shigella spp.: 24-48 hours

Salmonella infection:

• Incubation period: 1-3 days

• Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, vomiting

• Disease progression: 4-7 days

• Tests: routine stool culture

Staphylococcus aureus infection:

• Incubation period: 1-6 hours

• Symptoms: vomiting, cramping, diarrhea, fever

• Disease progression: 1-2 days

• Tests: clinical diagnosis, stool, vomit, and food tests

Clostridium botulinum infection:

• Strong toxin, resistant to digestive enzymes and gastric acid, deactivated by alkali and heat (80°C – 30 minutes)

• Incubation period: 12-24 hours

• Symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, visual, respiratory, and circulatory disturbances

• High mortality rate: 60-70%

Shigella spp. infection:

• Incubation period: 24-48 hours

• Duration: 4-7 days

• Symptoms: abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, bloody or mucous stool

• Susceptible foods: food, fecal-contaminated water, raw vegetables, salads

• Tests: stool culture to identify the pathogen

Danger zone temperature:

• 5°C to 63°C

Hepatitis A (HA):

• Incubation period: 15-50 days (average 28 days)

• Transmission period: end of incubation period to 1 week after jaundice

• Symptoms: diarrhea, dark urine, jaundice, flu-like symptoms

• Source of transmission: fecal-oral route, person-to-person, contaminated food

• Tests: stool culture

Microorganisms not identifiable by routine stool culture:

• Staphylococcus aureus

Toxoplasma gondii:

• Lifecycle with two types of hosts

• Transmissible between animals and humans

• Mode of infection: infection with oocysts in soil, vegetation, eating undercooked meat, transplacentally, exposure to biological fluids

• Rare mode of infection: KST-infected blood

Forms of Toxoplasma gondii infection:

• Encephalitis, meningitis

• Leukocytosis infection

• Multiple swollen lymph nodes without fever

• Ocular toxoplasmosis

• Toxoplasma spp. infection in immunocompromised patients

Congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection:

• Severe form

• Moderate form

• Latent form

• Unclear form

Note:

• This article summarizes information about foodborne illnesses caused by microorganisms.

• For accurate and comprehensive information, consult specialized materials and healthcare professionals.