Question

1. What are the differences between food intoxication and food infection? Explain this distinction in detail.

2. Provide at least three specific examples of each. Each example should include:

*The specific organism

*The disease and its symptoms

*Patient outcome if left untreated

Answer 1

1. Differences between Food intoxication and Food infection

FOOD INFECTION :

• Food infection is caused by the ingestion/intake of food containing live bacteria or other microbes which grow and establish themselves inside the human intestine.
• In other words, Food infection is the food poisoning that is caused by the injestion of Bacteria or other microbes present in the food which infects the body when eaten.
• This phenomena is caused by live bacteria/microbes present in the food while a human intakes the food.
• Food infection can happen in various ways, out of which improper cooking/boiling and improper preservation are the major causes.

FOOD INTOXICATION :

• Food intoxication is caused by the intake of food that contains toxins, including bacterially produced exotoxins etc.
• In other words, Food intoxication is the Food poisoning that is caused by the intake of a food which is intoxicated by any bacterial,viral or parasitic activity in the food.
• This can happen even when the organism that produced the toxin is no longer present in the food.
• Food intoxication can happen in various ways, out of which intoxication due to bacteria or other microorganisms are the major causes rather than chemical intoxication.

2. Specific examples :

1. Food infection :

• Food infected by Campylobacter bacteria, mostly found in meat and poultry products.This bacteria causes campylobacteriosis. The symptoms include mild to severe diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, stomach pain, cramps, vomiting,fever etc. If left untreated it may trigger arthritis, heart infections and blood infections.
• Food infected by Clostridium perfringens bacteria causes Clostridium perfringens food poisoning.Beef, poultry, and dried or pre-cooked foods are common sources of Clostridium perfringen infections. Diarrhea and abdominal cramps are the most common symptoms of this disease. If left untreated it may lead to a disease known as enteritis necroticans, which is fatal.
• Food infected by Giardia lamblia is a parasite mostly found on soil or water contaminated with feces causes Giardiasis. The symptoms include fatigue, vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal pain etc. If left untreated it may lead to dehydration, malabsorption and weight loss.

2. Food intoxication :

• Food contaminated by Clostridium botulinum bacteria causes Botulism which is a result of neurotoxins produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria. The common symptoms of botulism include constipation, vomiting, blurred vision, muscle weakness,dry mouth,difficulty swallowing etc. If left untreated, botulism can cause paralysis of the arms, legs, trunk, and respiratory muscles, resulting in the death of the individual due to inability to breathe.
• Food contaminated by toxins of Hepatitis A virus causes Hepatitis A which is a contagious liver infection. Symptoms include Belly pain, dark urine, Loss of appetite, Vomiting, Fever, Join pain, diarrhea, fatigue etc. If left untreated it may lead to liver failure.
• Food contaminated by Staphylococcus Aureus causes food poisoning as a result of a toxin produced by the bacteria. The common symptoms include skin infections, bone infections, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, diarrhea etc. If left untreated it may lead to life threatening infections in the heart valves,lungs,bones etc.