Guide to Food Poisoning Causes and Symptoms

You eat a delicious steak, baked potato, steamed vegetables and down some beer with your meal. Hours later, you’re writhing on the bathroom floor, suffering from strong abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. You may also develop fever and chills. If your food poisoning comes from the right organism, you may also suffer nervous system damage after you recover from your food poisoning.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that food poisoning causes approximately 48 million illnesses, with over 125,000 hospitalizations and up to 3,000 deaths annually.

Parasites, viruses and bacteria, or infectious agents cause food poisoning, with toxic agents, such as poorly prepared exotic foods, poisonous mushrooms or pesticides on produce cause food poisoning.

After eating an infected food or toxic substance, you may develop symptoms quickly or they may develop more slowly, getting worse as days and weeks go by. These symptoms include diarrhea. nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Norovirus and rotavirus are illnesses caused by food poisoning. Learn more about the symptoms and treatment, as well as prevention tips in this full guide.

Image Credit: Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net: Fresh Beef