Summer Food Poisonings

Summer time hides many dangers that affect children’s health, but also the health of adults. Because of the high temperatures the number of common diseases in children is increasing. The most common diseases are food poisoning and acute diarrheal diseases. In summer, food kept in poor conditions is degraded faster, the heat favoring multiplication of pathogenic bacteria in food. Food poisoning is caused by foods that are easily degraded, such as meat, eggs and milk, the perishable ones or unwashed fruits and vegetables. Doctors recommend to people to be careful where they are storing food and to strictly respect hygiene. Food poisonings are acute infectious diseases mainly with digestive manifestations, occurred after ingestion of food containing pathogenic organisms and/or their toxins in large amounts. It starts with abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea and vomiting. Clinical manifestations appear within 72 hours after the ingestion of the incriminated food. In literature and medical practice in food poisoning are also included food intoxications produced by ingestion of food products that contain non-microbial toxins (histamine poisoning by eating some species of fish, mushroom poisoning). Sources of infection from where the food is contaminated are human and animals: Salmonella: poultry, domestic animals and humans (digestive tract); Staphylococcus: animals, especially cattle (mastitis), humans (skin infections, nasal and pharyngeal porting), E. coli: humans (digestive tract), Cl. Perfringens: animals, humans (digestive tract). If stools and vomiting are common and abundant and / or fluid intake is insufficient, dehydration of different degrees occurs (thirst, tachycardia, low blood pressure up until the collapse). Recommended foods are initially strained vegetable soup, bolied rice, carrot juice, fresh cow cheese, bread crumbs, simply biscuits. Very quickly (24-48 hours) are introduced in the diet boiled meat, cottage cheese, bread. Nausea and vomiting can be controlled by administration of antiemetics and abdominal colic by applying hot, dry or wet compresses on the abdomen (slightly alcoholic). It is better not to use drugs that slow down intestinal transit because it slows down the elimination of bacteria and toxins involved in production of food poisoning. Only in severe forms, the doctor may indicate antibiotic treatment (infants, elderly, people with chronic diseases, cytostatic or immunosuppressive therapy). Prevention requires a rigorous hygiene, ordinary washing hands being very important, but also proper food storage and processing. Few parents understand the need for consistency and compliance with health principles for educating children, they prefer to be guided by the mood of the moment.