The incidence of food poisoning in the world, according to WHO, is increasing annually. There are some difficulties in statistics in recent years due to the fact that not all countries record and systematize information about poisoning. According to WHO statistics five years ago, deaths from food poisoning in the world are 2 million people annually, of which 75% are children under 14 years of age. The dynamics of the growth of the incidence annually is 10-12%.
Features of food poisoning and classification
Food poisoning is a collective term that combines the clinic of acute digestive disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) that occurs after taking low-quality foods or drinks. Sometimes, depending on the type of poisoning, there are much more clinical symptoms.
Food poisoning is classified into:
• infectious - pathogens: bacteria, viruses, protozoa; such poisoning is foodborne toxicosis (PTI);
• non-infectious (toxic) - arise as a result of the ingestion of toxins, poisons, when using poisonous herbs, mushrooms.
A dangerous feature of food poisoning is:
• small incubation period (2 - 6 hours);
• rapid development of the disease.
Also characteristic:
• mass destruction: all people who use an unsuitable product suffer;
• poisoning can occur even with products that are normal in appearance and taste, because food could already be seeded with microbes;
• Potentially hazardous are long stored after cooking.
Food Poisoning - The First Signs
The first signs of food poisoning occur in the interval after 1 - 2 and up to 6 hours after poisoning. In the next 2 days, they progress and in the future without treatment can lead to serious consequences.
Symptoms of food poisoning depend on certain factors:
• the toxin or infectious agent that caused the poisoning;
• the amount of food eaten or drunk drink poisoned by a toxin;
• general condition of the body.
But the first signs of food poisoning are always the same, regardless of the above factors:
• heat;
• decreased or lack of appetite;
• general weakness;
• diarrhea and cramping abdominal pain;
• flatulence;
• nausea and vomiting;
• cold sticky sweat, low pressure.
All symptoms of food poisoning
In some cases, the clinic develops very quickly, and all the symptoms of food poisoning develop within 1 - 2 hours, while the patient’s condition worsens, and he needs urgent treatment.
All symptoms of food poisoning are often the only information that helps to make a diagnosis, since children cannot explain their complaints, and in adults it is sometimes difficult to collect anamnesis due to the severity of the condition. Changes in vomiting (frequency, type and amount of vomit), bowel movements (blood impurities, color, smell, texture, stool frequency), temperature reaction are the main symptoms that need to be carefully monitored, analyzed, and based on them in the first hours of poisoning diagnosed.
May also occur:
• visual impairment (diplopia or complete loss);
• decreased muscle tone;
• increased salivation;
• brain damage (hallucinations, delirium, coma);
• damage to the peripheral nervous system (paresis, paralysis).
Such symptoms are observed more often with lesions of neurotoxic poisons. Pregnant women, children under 3 years old and elderly people have a particularly severe course of food poisoning, and a fatal outcome is not ruled out.
Food Poisoning - First Aid
Emergency hospitalization for emergency treatment is carried out in difficult situations when there is a threat to life. In most cases, at the initial stage of food poisoning, first aid is provided at home.
First Aid Activities:
• detoxification;
• detoxification;
• elimination of dehydration;
• etiotropic treatment is not required until the diagnosis is clarified (with the exception of the anamnesis and vivid clinical manifestations indicating the presence of infection - botulism, salmonellosis).
The amount of first aid for food poisoning depends on the time elapsed since the poisoning and the severity of the condition.
There are rules that everyone needs to remember:
1. You can not take antiemetic or antidiarrheal drugs, because vomiting and diarrhea are the protective mechanisms of the body and the fastest methods for massive elimination of toxins.
2. It is necessary to give the victim a lot of liquid (pure water) and induce vomiting to remove toxins from the stomach. Continue gastric lavage until clear, clear water appears.
3. Restoring the water - electrolyte balance and the volume of lost fluid: drinking plenty of fluids using pharmacy forms of saline solutions or prepared at home. Ready-made solutions for oral administration: Regidron, Normohydron, Oralit, Chlorazole, Gastrolit, Hydrovit, etc. Solutions are diluted according to the attached instructions, for example, 1 packet of Regidron is diluted in 1 liter of water, you need to drink 3 liters (use 3 packets of Regidron during the day) for maximum effect. Oral rehydrants are used between vomiting and taking medications.
In the absence of ready-made solutions, you can use a weak solution of manganese (the solution should be pink) or 2% alkaline (with the addition of baking soda in water), glucose-salt (3 tablespoons of sugar + 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 liter of water).
4. For the rapid elimination of toxins, it is mandatory to take sorbents (in the event that the absorption of toxins in the intestine has already occurred): Polysorb (a powder, soluble in water, convenient for use, Enterosgel, Enterol, in extreme cases, activated white and black coal, tablets of which can be crushed and given in water at the rate of: 1 tablet per kilogram of weight with a frequency of every 3 hours.Usually, with repeated vomiting and diarrhea, up to 20 tablets can be used once.
5. With a severe pain attack, the use of analgesics or antibiotics is unacceptable, unless diagnosed. It is possible to take antispasmodics (But - shpa, Drotaverin, Riabal, etc.).
6. If vomiting and diarrhea are absent, it is necessary to take laxatives to prevent further absorption of toxins in the intestines. For this purpose, sodium and magnesium sulfates are prescribed: 1 tablespoon of the drug is dissolved in 0.5 cups of liquid and washed down with plenty of water.
Treatment of food poisoning in a hospital
The treatment of food poisoning is different from the treatment of acute intestinal infections, because it is much easier and faster: mild forms of food poisoning can safely resolve on the 3rd day on their own.
The main directions of treatment
• detoxification;
• prevention of dehydration;
• restoration of intestinal biocenosis;
• normalization of the gastrointestinal tract by sparing nutrition.
But often food poisoning is life threatening. Acute symptoms that develop in a short time require immediate hospitalization and treatment in a specialized department.
Indications for hospitalization with food poisoning are also:
• temperature up to 40 C;
• poisoning in a child up to 3 years of age (there is rapid dehydration with diarrhea and vomiting, which can dramatically aggravate the condition);
• pregnancy and elderly patients;
• poisoning by poisonous mushrooms and plants, toxic compounds and liquids;
• diarrhea more than 10 times a day with an admixture of blood, indomitable vomiting, high fever, persisting for two days, severe increasing weakness;
• as a result, general dehydration of the body (dry mucous membranes, decreased urine production up to anuria, weight loss).
Only a doctor who decides on the need for hospitalization can adequately assess the condition.
1. In a hospital, parenteral rehydration is performed. This is especially important when poisoning in children who can not drink the required amount of liquid.
For parenteral rehydration use solutions of Trisol, Quartasol, Acesol, Lactosol, etc.
2. Sorbents are used with caution in young children and elderly patients.
3. Antispasmodics - with the urge to defecate, cramping abdominal pain.
4. Antiemetic and antidiarrheal therapy is necessary only in severe cases with indomitable vomiting and diarrhea, because the bulk of the toxins have already left the body. Tserukal, Motilium, Imodium, etc. are appointed.
5. Antipyretic drugs are prescribed only for patients who do not tolerate high temperature (NSAIDs: Paracetamol, Ibuklin / Paracetamol with ibuprofen /)
6. Probiotics and prebiotics (means for restoring the normal intestinal biocenosis containing live bacteria or their components - Enterogermina, Linnex, Bifidumbacterin, Bactisubtil, etc.).
7. Also in a hospital, gastric lavage with a probe, siphon enemas are performed. For procedures, up to 10 liters of water are used.
For a long time, the state of the digestive tract may not be restored. This is due to irritation of the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines and in some cases requires additional treatment.
But basically, recovery from poisoning is a diet.
Food Poisoning - Prevention
To avoid food poisoning and the associated unpleasant symptoms and complications, you need to adhere to basic hygiene rules, which are the prevention of food poisoning.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap before eating or preparing food.
• It is good to wash vegetables and fruits, especially in the hot season, to prevent flies from landing on the products.
• Subject raw eggs, fish, meat to heat treatment or roasting; wash the chopping board and knife thoroughly after raw meat.
• Defrosting meat - before cooking, but not at room temperature, but in the microwave or in the refrigerator.
• Monitor the temperature in the refrigerator - at least 30 C.
• Be careful with mushrooms and food from catering, do not use products of dubious quality.
• Do not store metal cans with conservation for more than 2 years; You can also not store food in copper and zinc dishes.
• Do not eat milk and caviar of certain fish species caught during their spawning period (pike, mackerel, burbot, perch).
If you remember and adhere to these rules, you will be able to maintain health for many years and avoid unpleasant diseases and serious complications.
