It
is that time of the year when the heat gets to you. Your sense of discipline on
things that are clean and hygienic may take a backseat when it comes to cool
scoops of ice creams, refreshing glasses of shakes and juices, soothing morsels of street food or plain bottles of cold water.
Food poisoning or a Topsy-turvy tummy may just be the price you will pay.
Ignorance is bliss. Well, NOT ALWAYS! Food poisoning is very common in India
for many reasons, the most obvious being a lethargic attitude towards the
standard of hygiene.
Causes And Outbreaks Of
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning results from contaminated
food or water and affects all people irrespective of what their social or economic
strata. Unhygienic cooking conditions, poor or improper hand washing and
general ignorance among the masses offer bacteria and viruses very conducive
breeding grounds. Food poisoning can also result from toxins present in
mushrooms, under-cooked food and from food kept out in the open for long
periods of time.
One contaminated source is usually the
source of misery or infection for many people. Observe some recent headlines as
follows, for example: 07/09/11: Lizard lands in mid-day meal, sends 44 children
to hospital, 06/12/11: Gujarat: Over 300 people affected with food poisoning,
21/02/12: 70 hospitalized with food poisoning in Chhattisgarh.
Symptoms of severe dehydration/Food poisoning that SHOULD NOT be Ignored:
Dehydration
is mild in most cases, with people presenting at the hospital or emergency with
diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting. In children, it can become a serious
condition due to dehydration. The symptoms usually start appearing within 36-48
hours of consumption of the contaminated food. Symptoms like blood in stools
and fever can herald a serious infection and further complications like sepsis
and even death, unless treated early.
Signs of severe dehydration :
· Lethargy
· Drowsiness
· Cramps
· Fever
·
Blood in stools.
· Suffering from
constipation and irregular stool pattern.