5 of the top sources of foodborne illness and how to prevent it

The McDonald’s E. coli outbreak — which has present sickened much than 100 people, per reports — has spotlighted the hazard of foodborne illnesses.

The E. coli infections were linked to contaminated onions served connected McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), which continues to analyse the outbreak.

Many different foods could perchance transmit dangerous bacteria if stored oregon prepared successful an unsafe manner, experts say, with an estimated 48 cardinal radical (one successful six) affected each year, per the CDC.

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Fox News Digital spoke with nutrient information experts astir immoderate of the astir prevalent foodborne illnesses and however to forestall them.

1. E. coli

E. coli — officially known arsenic Escherichia coli — is a type of bacterium recovered successful the environment, foods and intestines of radical and animals, according to the CDC.

E. coli — officially known arsenic Escherichia coli — is a type of bacterium recovered successful the environment, foods and intestines of radical and animals. (iStock)

The bacterium tin dispersed via contaminated nutrient oregon h2o oregon interaction with animals, environments oregon different people, the aforesaid root stated.

Eating nutrient that has not been cooked sufficiently to termination E. coli tin origin infection, according to Mitzi D. Baum, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness successful Chicago. 

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"Among different known sources of corruption is depletion of sprouts, lettuce, salami, unpasteurized beverage (and beverage products) and unpasteurized juice, and swimming successful oregon drinking sewage-contaminated water," she told Fox News Digital.

"Bacteria successful the diarrheal stools of infected persons tin beryllium passed from 1 idiosyncratic to different if hygiene oregon handwashing habits are inadequate," Baum added.

Symptoms and treatment

Symptoms of E. coli unwellness see — but are not constricted to — terrible tummy cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting, respiratory illness, urinary tract infections, fever and pneumonia, according to the CDC.

E. coli tin go "dangerous oregon deadly" successful precise young people, older adults and those with compromised immune systems, who whitethorn make a information called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), according to Baum. 

Symptoms of E. coli unwellness whitethorn see terrible tummy cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting, respiratory illness, urinary tract infections, fever and pneumonia. (iStock)

Symptoms of HUS whitethorn see fever, abdominal pain, airy tegument tone, fatigue, irritability, decreased urination, swelling, and small, unexplained bruises oregon bleeding from the chemoreceptor and mouth, the adept added.

"Non-specific supportive therapy, including hydration, is important," Baum said. 

E. coli tin go "dangerous oregon deadly" successful precise young people, older adults and those with compromised immune systems.

"There is nary grounds that attraction with antibiotics is helpful, and taking antibiotics whitethorn summation the hazard of HUS."

Treatment often consists of supportive care, Baum said, with adjacent monitoring of kidney (renal) functioning, hemoglobin and platelet counts.

2. Listeria

Listeria is the third-leading origin of decease from foodborne illness successful the country, according to the CDC.

The bacterium is known to dispersed easy successful delis and successful environments wherever nutrient is prepared.

The Listeria bacterium is known to dispersed easy successful delis and successful environments wherever nutrient is prepared. (iStock)

"The bacterium has been recovered successful a assortment of earthy foods, specified arsenic uncooked meats and vegetables, arsenic good arsenic successful foods that go contaminated aft cooking oregon processing, specified arsenic brushed cheeses, smoked seafood, and processed meats specified arsenic blistery dogs and deli meat," Baum said.

"Unpasteurized (raw) beverage and cheeses and other foods made from unpasteurized beverage are peculiarly apt to incorporate the bacterium."

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Listeria is killed by pasteurization and cooking, Baum noted, but immoderate ready-to-eat foods whitethorn go contaminated earlier packaging. 

"Unlike astir bacteria, Listeria tin turn and multiply successful immoderate foods successful the refrigerator," she warned.

Symptoms and treatment

The astir communal symptoms of listeria corruption see fever, fatigue and musculus aches, per the CDC.

"Someone with listeriosis usually has fever and musculus aches, which are sometimes preceded by diarrhea oregon different gastrointestinal symptoms," Baum said. 

"Almost everyone diagnosed with listeriosis has an ‘invasive’ corruption wherever the bacterium spreads beyond the GI tract."

Listeria is the third-leading origin of decease from foodborne unwellness successful the country, according to the CDC. (BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)

Some radical besides acquisition stiff neck, headaches, equilibrium problems, seizures oregon disorientation.

Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. 

"A idiosyncratic successful a high-risk class who experiences fever and different non-specific symptoms, specified arsenic fatigue and aches, wrong 2 months of eating contaminated nutrient should question aesculapian care," Baum advised.

3. Norovirus

Norovirus is simply a highly contagious microorganism that causes inflammation of the tummy oregon intestines, per the CDC.

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"Norovirus, besides known arsenic Norwalk-like virus, is simply a starring origin of gastroenteritis successful the U.S.," Dr. Amber Charoen, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Gastro Health successful Kennewick, Washington, told Fox News Digital.

"It tin dispersed with arsenic fewer arsenic 10 particles done contaminated food, vomit, stool and adjacent person-to-person contact."

Symptoms and treatment

While it is often referred to arsenic a "stomach flu" oregon "stomach bug," norovirus is not related to influenza.

"Symptoms of norovirus vary, but those infected thin to person a premix of low-grade fever, chills, vomiting, headache, musculus aches and fatigue," Baum said. 

Norovirus is simply a highly contagious microorganism that causes inflammation of the tummy oregon intestines, per the CDC. (iStock)

"In addition, norovirus outbreaks typically nutrient nausea (more often in children), watery diarrhea (more often successful adults) and tummy cramps."

There is nary circumstantial medicine to dainty norovirus, according to Baum. 

"If you person norovirus illness, portion plentifulness of liquids to regenerate fluids mislaid from throwing up and diarrhea," she advised.

4. Salmonella

Salmonella is simply a bacterium that is often linked to poultry, eggs, dairy and different foods similar caller produce, meats and nuts, according to Charoen.

Infections tin beryllium caused by consuming contaminated chicken, pork, fruits, seeded vegetables, different produce, beef and turkey, the CDC states connected its website. Germs tin dispersed to different foods done cross-contamination.

Salmonella is simply a bacterium that is often linked to poultry, eggs, dairy and different foods similar caller produce, meats and nuts. (iStock)

Symptoms and treatment

Most radical who are infected acquisition diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever, according to the CDC. Headaches, vomiting and nausea tin besides occur.

Most patients announcement symptoms wrong six hours to six days aft getting infected, and they usually past for 4 to 7 days.

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"Most radical retrieve without circumstantial treatment," Baum said. "Antibiotics are typically utilized lone to dainty radical with terrible illness."

Patients should portion other fluids arsenic agelong arsenic diarrhea is occurring, she advised.

5. Campylobacter

Campylobacteriosis is simply a bacterium astir often associated with eating raw oregon undercooked poultry oregon from cross-contamination of different foods by these items, according to Baum. 

Campylobacteriosis is simply a bacterium astir often associated with eating earthy oregon undercooked poultry oregon from cross-contamination of different foods. (iStock)

"Many chickenhearted flocks are infected with Campylobacter but amusement nary signs of illness," she noted.

"Campylobacter tin easy dispersed from vertebrate to vertebrate done a communal h2o root oregon done interaction with infected feces."

Symptoms and treatment

Typical symptoms of Campylobacteriosis unwellness see diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain and fever. 

"Diarrhea caused by this corruption tin beryllium either watery oregon bloody, depending connected the country of the intestines affected, and typically begins 2 to 5 days aft exposure," said Charoen.

In summation to gastrointestinal symptoms, Campylobacter corruption has besides been linked to semipermanent issues similar reactive arthritis and Guillain-Barré syndrome, which tin impact the joints and tense system, Charoen added.

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Almost each radical infected with Campylobacter retrieve without immoderate circumstantial treatment, according to Baum.

"Patients should portion other fluids arsenic agelong arsenic the diarrhea lasts," she advised.

"In much terrible cases, antibiotics specified arsenic azithromycin oregon erythromycin tin shorten the duration of symptoms if fixed aboriginal successful the illness."

Typical symptoms of Campylobacteriosis unwellness see diarrhea, cramping, abdominal symptom and fever.  (iStock)

Beyond the 5 listed above, determination are different bacteria that tin origin foodborne illness.

These see Staphylococcus aureus (Staph), Clostridium perfringens, toxoplasma and others.

Preventing foodborne illness

Dr. Benjamin Barlow, an emergency physician and main aesculapian serviceman of American Family Care — a supplier of urgent care, accessible superior attraction and occupational medicine successful Alabama — provided the pursuing guidance for preventing contamination of foods.

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"You tin forestall foodborne illnesses by washing your hands aft touching immoderate animals oregon their food, oregon being successful their environment," Barlow, the erstwhile elder White House doc for Presidents Obama and Trump, told Fox News Digital. 

"Avoid eating immoderate undercooked nutrient specified arsenic crushed beef, poultry oregon eggs and raw/unpasteurized milk, including cheeses made with it," helium added.

Experts accidental to lavation immoderate fruits and vegetables earlier cooking and to support earthy nutrient abstracted from different foods. (iStock)

Before opening nutrient prep, lavation your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, Barlow advises. 

"Also, lavation your hands betwixt touching earthy meats and different nutrient earlier eating," helium said. "If you can, deterioration gloves portion preparing food."

It’s besides champion signifier to lavation immoderate fruits and vegetables earlier cooking and to support earthy nutrient abstracted from different foods.

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When cooking food, usage a thermometer to marque definite it reaches the harmless minimum interior temperature, Barlow emphasized. 

Safe temperatures are 165°F for chickenhearted and 145°F for beef, pork and shellfish.

Safe temperatures are 165°F for chickenhearted and 145°F for beef, pork and shellfish.

It’s besides important to cheque expiration dates and discard expired items, experts agree.

"Make definite nutrient is refrigerated wrong 2 hours of being cooked – this is particularly important arsenic we participate the play of holiday parties," Barlow said.

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"In the summertime heat, nutrient should beryllium refrigerated aft 1 hour."

Anyone experiencing immoderate gastrointestinal symptoms, specified arsenic diarrhea oregon vomiting, should not hole immoderate nutrient to debar passing connected the bacterium oregon virus, the doc added.