Vid Jurij

INFECTIONS CAUSED BY INFECTED FOOD Infectious diseases spread through food or drinks are a common distressing and sometimes life-threatening problem for millions of people in the United States and around the world. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate 76 million people suffer foodborne illnesses each year in the United States, accounting for 325,000 hospitalizations and more than 5,000 deaths. There are more than 250 known foodborne diseases. They can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Natural and making chemicals in food products also can make people sick. Some diseases are caused by poisons, others by bodily reactions to the organism itself. People infected with foodborne disease do not have symptoms or develop symptoms ranging from mild signs to dehydration and bloody diarrhea. Diarrheal diseases are leading because of childhood sickliness and mortality in developing countries. It is because of ingesting certain bacteria, viruses or parasites present in water or food. Diarrheal diseases can be prevented by drinking safe water, hand washing and safe disposal of human waste. Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called Salmonella. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness. Infections with the bacteria Salmonella alone account for $1 billion yearly in direct and indirect medical costs. Campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by Campylobacter bacteria. In USA, it infects 2,4 millions of people every year. The bacteria cause between 5 and 14 percent of all diarrhoeal illness worldwide. You can get infected from handling raw poultry, eating undercooked poultry, drinking no chlorinated water or raw milk, or handling infected animal or human waste. Most frequently, poultry and cattle waste are the sources of the bacteria, but waste from puppies, kittens, and birds also may be contaminated. If you are infected with Campylobacter, however, you may have no symptoms. If you do, they may include • • • • •

Diarrhoea (often bloody) Abdominal cramping and pain Nausea and vomiting Fever Tiredness

PREVENTING FOODBORNE DISEASES Usually foodborne diseases are easy to avoid. Here are some basic ways to prevent them: • • • • • • • •

Wash hands carefully before preparing food. Wash the dish and kitchen surfaces with hot soapy water after they touch raw meat or poultry. Cook beef and beef products thoroughly, especially hamburger. Cook poultry and eggs thoroughly. Eat cooked food promptly or refrigerate it and put it into the fridge. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, especially those that will be eaten raw. Drink only pasteurized milk, juices and water in bottles only. Wash hands carefully after using the bathroom, changing infant diapers, or cleaning up animal faces.

Every year a lot of people die because of diseases caused by infected food and we think this should not happen, because our science is at a very high level and it should prevent everyone from death. We also think that modern people should know more about all diseases and protection for them. Vocabulary: Foodborne disease – disease cost by infected food Intestine - tube that carries food from your stomach Diarrhoea - an illness in which your solid waste is more liquid than usual, and comes out of your body more often Poultry - chickens and other birds that people breed for meat and eggs http://globalhealth.org/view_top.php3?id=228 http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/foodbornedis.htm Jurij Martinc, 2.e Vid Vaukan, 2.e