What Are the Five Major Foodborne Illnesses?

Symptoms of foodborne illnesses can range from mild to severe and even life-threatening and may include:  

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Upset stomach
• Stomach cramps
• Diarrhea that may be watery or bloody
• Fever
• Chills

Symptoms may occur within hours to days after eating contaminated food. 

When to See the Doctor

See a doctor if you have severe symptoms of foodborne illnesses such as:

• More than six runny bowel movements in 24 hours
• Diarrhea lasting more than three days
• Bloody diarrhea
• Blood in vomit
• Severe abdominal pain
• High fever (oral temperature over 101.3°F/38.5°C) that does not go away after one day
• Frequent vomiting and inability to keep liquids down, which can lead to dehydration
  • Signs of dehydration include
    • Watery diarrhea
    • Little or no urination
    • Very dry mouth, tongue, and throat
    • Dizziness 
    • Tiredness
    • Thirst
    • Muscle cramps
• Confusion
• Urine that is very yellow, or not needing to urinate for more than five hours
• Rash or blisters on skin

Young children and adults over 70 years who have symptoms of foodborne illness should also see a doctor because these groups can become dehydrated more easily.

Foodborne illnesses are usually diagnosed with a patient history and a physical examination. 

Testing is usually not needed but may be indicated to check if a patient is dehydrated or to determine which germ caused the food poisoning. Tests may include: 

• Blood tests
• Stool tests 

Most of the time, the foodborne illness goes away on its own without medical treatment. Home remedies to ease symptoms of food poisoning include:

• Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration
• Eat small meals that do not have a lot of fat in them
• Rest
• Over-the-counter (OTC) anti-diarrheal medicines 
  • Loperamide (Diamode, Imodium)
  • Diphenoxylate-atropine (Lomotil)
  • Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate). 
    • Do not take loperamide or if you have a fever or blood in your bowel movements
    • Talk to your doctor before trying loperamide; taking too much loperamide has led to serious heart problems in some people
    • Follow label instructions for anti-diarrheal medicines and do not take more than indicated on the label
    • Children should not take anti-diarrhea medicines

People who have severe symptoms may require medical treatment, such as: 

• Intravenous (IV) fluids to treat or prevent dehydration
• Antibiotics to treat bacterial infections
• Prescription anti-diarrheal medication
  • Diphenoxylate-atropine (Lomotil)
    • Do not take diphenoxylate-atropine if you have a fever or blood in your bowel movements

Foodborne illnesses can be prevented with four simple steps recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC): 

• Clean
  • Wash hands and surfaces often including after changing diapers, going to the bathroom, blowing your nose, touching animals, or taking out the trash
  • Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food and before eating
  • Wash utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water
  • Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water
• Separate
  • Don't cross-contaminate foods
  • Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from vegetables, fruits, and other foods
    • Use separate cutting boards and plates 
    • Keep these items and their juices away from other foods in grocery carts
    • Keep these items and their juices separate from other foods in the fridge
• Cook
  • Cook foods to the proper temperature
  • Use a food thermometer and cook to: 
    • 145°F (62.8°C) for 
      • Whole cuts of beef, pork, veal, and lamb 
      • For fresh ham (raw)
      • Fin fish or cook until flesh is opaque
    • 160°F (71.1°C) for ground meats, such as beef and pork
    • 165°F (73.9°C) for
      • All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey
      • Leftovers and casseroles
• Chill
  • Refrigerate food promptly 
  • Keep the refrigerator at 40°F (4.4°C) or below
  • Never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s hotter than 90°F/32.2°C outside) 
  • Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave
  • Never thaw foods on the counter

If you are sick, stay home from work or school until you feel better.