Food Poisoning by Botulism and Salmonellosis: How They Differ

We hear of people being downed by food poisoning caused by either botulism or salmonellosis. For the laymen, food poisoning by botulism or salmonellosis simply means having eaten contaminated food, resulting to certain symptoms as abdominal pain and diarrhea. But going technical about it, what exactly are botulism and salmonellosis, and how do these diseases differ from each other?

Of these two types of food poisoning, botulism is the more serious one. In fact, it is considered the most serious type of food poisoning. A germ or bacterium, called Clostridium botulinum, is the cause of botulism. This bacterium is common in gardens and on farms; it is probably present on all produce, especially vegetables. We have to understand, however, that eating freshly prepared garden produce does not result to food poisoning by botulism. This is because the poisoning potentialities of the clostridium bacterium take some time to develop.

In improperly preserved foods, such as those that are defectively canned, the bacterium can produce toxins. When improperly canned foods are served without first being cooked at boiling temperatures, say, for about twenty to 30 minutes, food poisoning by botulism becomes highly probable. This is the reason why canning procedures are completely crucial. In canned foods, first be wary of the can's condition. Immediately discard one that is misshapen, bulging, or rusted. If you have opened a can because it does not appear to have any of these signs, check the condition of its contents next. If they smell odd, appear to be gas-containing, or seem off-color, throw them away at once.

Salmonellosis, on the other hand, is caused by at least a dozen different species and serotypes of salmonella bacteria. For example, the prototypes of the species that prefer humans for their hosts are the Salmonella typhi. Those that were identified by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the cause of the recent salmonella outbreak that downed at least 1,440 people, mostly in Texas, are the Salmonella saintpaul.

Salmonella bacteria are introduced into the body by contaminated food - foremost of which are eggs and meat products - that has not been carefully handled, such as food that has been improperly cooked or inadequately refrigerated. A disease present in the animal itself may be the cause of contamination. Salmonellosis can be spread by people handling such contaminated food. Often, it involves a number of people who have eaten food from a single source.

Symptoms of botulism usually take place eight to 24 hours after the contaminated food has been eaten. These include crampy abdominal pain and watery diarrhea which last about 24 hours. Having a dim or double vision is a serious symptom, with the infected person usually experiencing difficulty in talking and swallowing due to paralysis of the muscles of the throat and larynx. The toxin produced by botulism is extremely injurious to the body's organs; in over half of untreated cases, it can cause death.

A person suffering from botulism should be attended to medically at once. The damage that is already caused by the toxin may no longer be reversed. But the infected person's chances of survival are better if he is given the antitoxin prepared especially for this disease early in its course than when it is already well established.

In the case of salmonellosis, its symptoms usually occur within eight to 48 hours after the contaminated food has been eaten. Apart from abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea, the other symptoms of salmonellosis include nausea, vomiting, and mild fever with chilling. In severe cases, these symptoms can last about 5 days, sometimes even longer. We have to remember that diarrhea is a natural means of eliminating from the body the toxins which the contaminated food produced. Instead of making an effort to end diarrhea, some home remedies should be applied. For instance, the infected person may take apple juice or blackberry juice as these are rich in pectins which can absorb toxins. Of course, for severe cases of salmonellosis, it is best to make arrangements for medical care at once. [Read the Original Article]