As an example of how patients are treated for food poisoning, we'll follow a 69 year old female that was admitted to the hospital. She had the following tests ordered on admission:

• serum electrolyte panel

 

• complete blood count

• exam for fecal leukocytes

(click to see relevant results)

culture of the stool and vomitus for bacterial pathogens

 

2. Based on this patient's lab results, can the physician determine if this is an invasive or noninvasive bacteria?

3. Does this patient show clinical signs of dehydration?

 

Instructor's Notes:

The laboratory values reveal a patient in a slight state of dehydration. As you recall, dehydration results due to an excessive loss of water and essential electrolytes from the body's tissues. The intense vomiting and diarrhea and subsequent water loss will cause sodium levels to fall below the low normal of 135 mEq/L, a condition called hyponatremia. If the dehydrated state is prolonged, shifts of essential cations from the intracellular environment to the extracellular will occur, leading to cardiac and respiratory failure and other conditions such as acidosis or alkalosis.

 

The patient's white blood cell count is also elevated due to the inflammatory process occurring in the intestinal tract. The hematocrit is slightly elevated due to the dehydrated state of the patient.
The fecal leukocyte test is positive.

 

4. What are possible problems resulting from dehydration?

 

Overview of most common food borne illnesses and preventative measures.

 

5. What are some of the most common types of food-borne illness?

6. When should a doctor be consulted after a diarrheal illness?

7. How many cases of food borne disease are there in the United States each year?

8. How do public health departments track food-borne illness?

9. How does food become contaminated?

10. What foods are most associated with food-borne illness?

11. What food handling precautions can help prevent food-borne illness?