What is staphylococcal food poisoning?
Food poisoning is a problem in which something you eat gives you diarrhea and makes you throw up. Staphylococci are a type of bacteria (germs). So, staphylococcal food poisoning is when you get sick from eating food that has this kind of bacteria growing in it. The bacteria make toxins (poisons). It's these toxins rather than the bacteria that make you sick.
Other kinds of bacteria also can cause food poisoning. For example, clostridial food poisoning Clostridium perfringens food poisoning Clostridia are bacteria that commonly reside in the intestine of healthy adults and newborns. Clostridia also reside in animals, soil, and decaying vegetation. These bacteria do not require... read more is caused by bacteria called clostridia.
Foods that can give you staphylococcal food poisoning may smell and taste normal. Many foods can cause staphylococcal food poisoning, particularly foods that were:
Not cooked long enough
Left sitting out at room temperature
Handled by someone who has a staphylococcal skin infection
Food poisoning is a lot like gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis is inflammation of your stomach and intestines. Gastroenteritis is usually caused by an infection with a virus or bacteria You feel very sick to your stomach, throw up, and have... read more . But in gastroenteritis, germs in the food grow inside your belly and make you sick. Those germs don't make poisons.
What are the symptoms of staphylococcal food poisoning?
Symptoms usually start very suddenly 2 to 8 hours after eating and include:
Feeling very sick to your stomach
Throwing up
Belly cramps
Diarrhea
Symptoms usually last about 12 hours. They go away as quickly as they came. However, if you don’t drink enough fluids, you may feel weak for a while longer.
Staphylococcal food poisoning can be life-threatening for babies and young children, very old adults, and people with long-term health problems.
How can doctors tell if I have staphylococcal food poisoning?
Doctors suspect staphylococcal food poisoning based on your symptoms, particularly if people who ate the same food as you also got sick. Doctors don't usually do tests, but they sometimes test leftover food for the staphyloccocal bacteria.
How do doctors treat staphylococcal food poisoning?
Doctors will:
Tell you to drink plenty of fluids
If your symptoms are severe, doctors may:
Give you medicine to stop you from feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up
Give you fluids through your vein (IV)
Medicine that can stop you from throwing up is usually given as a shot or as a rectal suppository. A rectal suppository is a dissolving pill that's placed in your rectum Rectum and Anus Your digestive system breaks food down into separate nutrients that fuel your body. Your digestive tract (also called the gastrointestinal or GI tract) is the hollow tube that food goes through... read more .
How can I prevent staphylococcal food poisoning?
Make and store food safely:
Don’t prepare food if you have a skin infection
Eat food as soon as you prepare it
Cook food (such as meat) properly to reach safe temperatures
Put leftover food in the refrigerator
Don't keep prepared food sitting out at room temperature
