Stomach Issues & Nausea / Question
Published: April 28, 2007
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I recently ate a product of Great Value Peanut Butter on Saturday, with the code starting with 2111, so it might cause me to have food poisoning. I have been having some stomach irritations the past two days in school, but I just found out it could’ve been from the Peanut Butter I ate. Should I consider going to the hospital for some sort of diagnoses or stay home and see what happens?
Signed: Food Poisoning From Peanut Butter
Dear Food Poisoning From Peanut Butter,
Food poisoning seems to be a very timely topic, what with the recent outbreaks of Salmonella in peanut butter this past month, E. coli at Taco Bell last fall, and various other recent outbreaks. As far as what steps to take right now, if you have a product implicated in an outbreak (such as a jar of peanut butter corresponding to the 2111 product code on the bottom) you should discard the product right away, despite the fact that you may have eaten most of the jar already. Call your local Department of Health to make them aware that you have a product that has been implicated in causing food poisoning. They may want to analyze the product, or they may just tell you to throw it away.
Typically, symptoms of salmonellosis (infection by salmonella) include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps that begin 12 to 72 hours after becoming infected. Most people do not need treatment for salmonellosis; it is self-limited to 4-7 days. However, there are exceptions to every rule. If you have such persistent diarrhea that you lose more fluid than you can take in, you can become severely dehydrated and need to be hospitalized for a time to rehydrate you. If you have an underlying disorder, such as a weakened immune system or poor underlying health, the bacteria can make its way into your bloodstream and cause a life-threatening infection. Also, the elderly and infants run the risk of having a more severe course.
There are other kinds of food poisonings besides salmonella, however. E. coli, a very common bacterium that lives inside everyone’s intestinal tract, can sometimes cause food poisoning. The Taco Bell scare last fall is an example of this. In that outbreak, the particular strain of E. coli was called 0157:H7. It caused abdominal pain, bloating, and bloody diarrhea. This kind of food poisoning is very serious, and can cause life-threatening complications, even in usually healthy people. Besides dehydration, the infection can seriously damage other organs like your liver and kidneys and keep you in the hospital for days or even weeks.
In general, the best course of action when you suspect you may be infected with a food-borne infection is to make your parents and doctor aware of your concerns. Your doctor may wish to see you in the office to make sure you are not at risk of dehydration or other problems. If you truly become ill from food poisoning, fluid replacement is your number-one priority. Most hospitalizations for food-borne illnesses are from people who are unable to keep up with the loss of fluid by vomiting or diarrhea. It is okay if you can’t eat solid foods for a couple of days; water, Gatorade, broth, Jell-O, and other easy to eat liquids will suffice. If you find that you aren’t urinating or feel very dry (dry eyes, skin, mouth, etc.) and thirsty, you need to tell your doctor right away. Also, there are a lot of over the counter anti-diarrheal medications available. It’s usually not recommended to take these medications when you have symptoms of food poisoning. They can actually prolong the symptoms and make things worse.
A little knowledge concerning food poisoning can keep many people from getting sick in the first place, and those who do get sick from getting very ill. Ask your doctor if you have any concerns about food poisoning, whether you may have eaten something or somewhere that is implicated in a food-poisoning scare. Other places to look for information include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website. Both agencies have websites tailored to food-borne illnesses.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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