What is food poisoning?

Food poisoning is an illness that is usually caused by eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated with bacteria, virus or toxins that the bacteria produce.

The only way you can be certain if you have food poisoning is to have your faeces tested to see if the bacteria are present.

It is very difficult to be certain about the precise cause of any illness of this nature. However, with your cooperation, it is often possible to identify the most likely cause by using information you can provide about:

• What you have eaten/ drunk in the days leading up to your illness;
• Your symptoms - what they were and when they started;
• Any travel abroad or in this country;
• Any activities you may have undertaken – swimming/ country walks etc.
• Meals eaten away from home.

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What are the symptoms of food poisoning?

The symptoms of food poisoning vary depending on which bacteria has caused the food poisoning. You may have all or only some of the symptoms. The symptoms include:

• Vomiting;
• Diarrhoea - this may be bloody;
• Abdominal pain, stomach ache;
• Fever;
• Headache;
• Feeling 'washed out'.

The symptoms may be more severe in the young and the elderly.

Sometime when the symptoms have finished the bacteria can still remain in your gut and pass out in your faeces. This is often referred to as being a 'carrier'.

It is very important to drink plenty of fluids.

In the case of E.coli 0157 symptoms may range from diarrhoea to haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) with renal failure.

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How long do the symptoms of food poisoning usually last?

Again this depends on which bacteria has caused your food poisoning. Some examples of duration are detailed below.

Food poisoning duration

Cause of poisoning	Duration
Salmonella	1 to 7 days
Campylobacter	1 to 10 days or more
Cryptosporidium	3 to 14 days
E.coli 0157	2 to 14 days

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Do I need treatment?

The symptoms are usually self limiting and there is usually no specific treatment - antibiotics are not usually prescribed. However, where symptoms are severe (bloody diarrhoea/ severe pain) or do not self limit then call NHS Direct or contact your GP.

• Contact NHS Direct, Tel: 0845 4647

If you visit your GP they will usually request you give a faeces sample that can be sent for microbiological testing.

It is very important to drink plenty of fluids.

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Why do I need to give a faeces sample?

This is one of the ways that we can identify the actual bacteria that has caused your food poisoning.

You may feel better but still have bacteria that can pass onto others.

You may be requested to provide a faeces sample because someone in your household has been identified as having a certain type of food poisoning.

If you are not prepared to produce a faeces sample for microbiological testing you may only receive a limited response to your enquiry by the Environmental Health Department.

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How do I give a faeces sample?

Please ensure you provide a faeces sample as soon as possible if requested to do so.

• How to take a faeces (stool) sample (PDF 126kb)

Please do not provide any urine or vomit unless you have been requested to do so.

Results usually will be available within 5 working days, but some tests may take longer.

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Where do bacteria come from and how do they spread?

There are a variety of sources of bacteria including:

• Food animal – cattle and poultry;
• Domestic animals;
• Raw meat and poultry;
• Raw milk and undercooked/ lightly cooked eggs;
• Infected people in your household or in food businesses.

Bacteria may be spread at home or in a food business by:

• Direct contact - raw meat directly touching cooked meat in a fridge or on a work surface;
• Indirect contact – raw meat juices dripping onto cooked meat;
• Cross contamination – kitchen utensils (knives and other utensils) being used for cutting raw meat then being used to cut cooked meat, cakes and other foodstuff;
• Poor personal hygiene - an infected person, with poor personal hygiene, making food for others. The bacteria are transferred onto the food as they handle it.

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What can I do to prevent the further spread?

Through a combination of good personal hygiene, cleaning and thorough cooking of food you will be able to limit the spread around your household.

• Good personal hygiene
  Washing and drying your hands regularly, using hot soapy water (preferably using antibacterial liquid soap) is a very important way to limit the spread of the bacteria. Where possible dry your hand on your own towel and always use the wash basin in the bathroom not the kitchen sink.
  
  Children learn by example. Young children may need help to wash their hands properly.
  
  Wash your hands after:
  • Using the toilet;
  • Changing nappies;
  • Touching anything contaminated with diarrhoea or vomit e.g. bedding, clothing, dirty laundry;
  • Attending to anyone who is unwell;
  • Touching animals, pets, farm animals etc;
  • Touching raw meat or poultry.
  Wash your hands before:
  • Handling, preparing and serving food;
  • Giving medicines;
  • Changing nappies;
  • Preparing to breast feed or preparing babies bottles.
  Remember:
  • Always assist young children to wash their hands properly if they are suffering with symptoms of food poisoning.
• Toilet hygiene
  Disinfect the toilet at least once a day and wipe hand contact surfaces (toilet seat, flusher handle, door handles, taps etc) with a disinfectant.
  
  Disinfection is particularly appropriate after the toilet has been used by a person with symptoms of food poisoning.
  
  A disinfectant reduces bacteria to a safe level - they do not remove all bacteria.
  
  Remember:
  • Do not use the toilet cloth around other areas of the bathroom - keep it separate!
  • Disposable clothes are ideal.
  • Wear rubber gloves when cleaning the toilet and keep these only for this use!
  • Flush the toilet with the seat and the lid closed!
• Adequate storage and cooking of food
  Cooking:
  • Always ensure foods are thoroughly cooked, paying particular attention to barbecue foods and egg products. It is advisable not to give children under 5 years old lightly cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs.
  • Cook chicken so that the meat is not pink.
  • Cook meats till the juices run clear in colour.
  • Follow the manufacturers cooking instructions.
  Storage:
  • Always store raw meat at the bottom of the fridge to stop the juices dripping onto other foods.
  • Always store raw meats, cooked meats, cream items etc in the fridge.
  • Your fridge should have a temperature between 0 and 5°C.
• Exclusion from work, school or nursery
  Food handlers and care workers:
  • People working with food or in care facilities (hospitals, residential homes, nursing homes, day care nurseries, childminders) who know or suspect that they, or a member of their household, are suffering from food poisoning must inform their employers immediately.
  • You should not return to work until you have been symptom free for 48 hours.
  • Once you have returned to work it is important to uphold good personal hygiene, as the bacteria can still be passing out of your body when your symptoms have ceased.
  School children, children who attend day care nursery and childminders:
  • Children, particularly those under 5 years old and those who are unable to toilet themselves, pose a greater risk of spreading infection. It is important that children stay away from school whilst suffering with symptoms of food poisoning and for 48 hrs after their symptoms have finished. This will reduce the spread to other children in the school/ nursery.
  • Reporting to the school that your child is suffering from symptoms of food poisoning is also very important. Without accurate information the school will be unable to identify if they may have an outbreak situation.
  Certain infections, including E.coli 0157 and Salmonella typhi may require exclusion from work or school for a longer period of time or until tests show you are no longer carrying the infection.
• Visitors
  It is recommended that you do not have visitors into your home (including friends, family and your children's friends) until all household members have fully recovered from symptoms. Also it is recommended that you do not visit people in hospital, the very young or the elderly whilst you are suffering from symptoms of food poisoning.

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More information

Further information is available from the Health Protection Agency or your GP.

• Health Protection Agency (external site)