Prevalent in the United States, foodborne disease affects an estimated 76 million Americans each year, according to the World Health Organization. Foodborne disease refers to illness caused by ingesting food or drink contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites or other toxins. Though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that over 250 different foodborne diseases exist, it recognizes just four as the most common sources of infection.
Campylobacter
A bacteria often found on raw, store-bought poultry, Campylobater jejuni lives in the intestines of healthy birds. Improper cooking or cross-contamination of the bacteria to hands, surfaces and uncooked foods, can lead to infection. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that campylobacteriosis can lead to bloody diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, muscle aches and fever. Symptoms usually appear within 2 to 5 days of ingestion and resolve within 7 to 10 days, according to the FDA. Campylobacter infection may require antibiotics.
E. coli O157:H7
E. coli, a bacteria, lives in the intestines of all animals. However, the problematic E. coli O157:H7 strain lives primarily in cattle. Infection usually stems from undercooked ground beef. Outbreaks have also resulted from contaminated produce and unpasteurized milk or juice. The CDC states that symptoms usually include severe abdominal cramping and bloody diarrhea, although 3 to 5 percent of cases result in complications, which may lead to kidney failure. According to the FDA, the very young and elderly remain at much higher risk for complications and most infections resolve within 8 days.
Norwalk Virus
Also called calcivirus, the CDC considers Norwalk virus a common, but largely under diagnosed foodborne illness. Calcivirus becomes a foodborne illness when contact from a person carrying the virus contaminates food or water, leading to illness in somebody else. Symptoms usually include sudden onset of vomiting and sometimes diarrhea. The FDA considers the virus mild, rarely leading to hospitalization. Symptoms usually resolve within 2 days of onset.
Salmonella
Commonly associated with eggs, salmonella contaminates many foods including raw meat, dairy products, yeast and desserts, according to the FDA. Salmonellosis can cause abdominal cramping, vomiting, diarrhea and fever--with symptoms usually lasting 1 to 2 days, per the FDA. The FDA also states that complications can occur from some strains of salmonella, resulting in symptoms similar to typhoid fever, causing lesions and affecting various organs. Additionally, the CDC reports that salmonellosis can infect the bloodstream causing life-threatening complications in those with a weakened immune system.
