Food-borne and Diarrheal Diseases
Food-borne illness is caused by consuming food or beverages that are contaminated by certain bacteria,
viruses or parasites. Some disease may be caused by toxins or poisonous chemicals if they are present
in the food. Individuals may also be exposed to these same pathogens through recreational water sports,
contact with animals and their environment, and person-to-person spread.
Food-borne Safety, News & Information
General
Maine Specific
Maine Outbreaks
Food-borne and Diarrheal Diseases
- Botulism - Botulism is a serious, potentially fatal illness caused by a type of poison. The poison – known
as botulinum toxin – is produced by a kind of bacteria. Botulinum toxin is the strongest poison
known to science.
- Campylobacteriosis– Campylobacter, often called campy, are bacteria that
can cause diarrheal disease in humans. The bacteria are common in chickens, but don’t make
the chicken sick.
- Cryptosporidiosis - This illness is most frequently associated with contaminated
water. The disease is caused by parasites that can live in the intestines of animals and infected
humans.
- Escherichia coli -There are hundreds of different strains of E. coli and most strains do not
make people sick. The most serious strains are called shiga toxin producing e-coli (STEC) that
can cause bloody diarrhea.
- Giardiasis – Giardiasis is sometimes known as “beaver fever” because beavers
(as well as dogs, cats, horses and cows) are a major reservoir for the parasite that causes infection.
- Hepatitis
A – The hepatitis A virus (HAV) can cause liver disease. The virus spreads more
easily where there is poor sanitary conditions and personal hygiene. A vaccine is available
to prevent getting this disease.
- Listeriosis - Listeriosis, a serious infection caused by eating food
contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, has recently been recognized as an important
public health problem in the United States.
- Norovirus – This group of viruses cause “stomach
flu” or gastroenteritis in people. Individuals
may become very sick with acute vomiting and diarrhea but usually the symptoms last only 1-2 days. These
viruses are the most common cause of food-borne outbreaks.
- Salmonella - Most persons with salmonellosis get diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 12 to 72 hours
after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment.
- Shigellosis - There are many different types of Shigella. One type, Shigella sonnei, causes over two-thirds
of the shigellosis in the United States. A second type, Shigella flexneri, accounts for almost all
of the rest. Other types of Shigella are rare in this country, but are important causes of disease
in the developing world.
