Food poisoning of microbial origin. Food poisoning of microbial origin: causes, symptoms, treatment, prevention. Video: the horror of microbes inside us

Acute diseases that occur after ingestion of food that contains substances of bacterial and non-bacterial origin that are toxic to the body. Unlike foodborne infections, food poisoning occurs in people who have consumed the same low-quality foods and is not transmitted from person to person.

Pathogenic microbes produce two types of toxins: exotoxins and endotoxins.
Exotoxins are easily released from the microbial cell into the environment. They affect certain organs and tissues, have a specific effect.
Endotoxins are not released from the microbial cell during its life, but are released only after its death. Endotoxins do not have the specificity of affairs in the body cause general signs of poisoning.

food poisoning bacterial origin can be divided into three groups:

1. Bacterial toxicoinfections - diseases caused by microorganisms such as Proteus, Escherichia, Clostridia, Enterococci, etc.
2. Bacterial intoxication - botulism, staphylococcal poisoning).
3. Mycotoxicosis - ergotism, fusariotoxicosis, aflotoxicosis.

Bacterial toxic infections- diseases in the pathogenesis of which live pathogens and toxins produced by them are involved. They are characterized by a sudden onset, rapid development, intoxication, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. They are transmitted only in an alimentary way. Food products are contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms during their preparation, storage or sale. Possible endogenous contamination of meat during slaughter and cutting carcasses of sick animals. Food poisoning is always associated with the consumption of either infected products that have not been sufficiently heat treated, or prepared meals that are infected after cooking during storage outside the refrigerator or provided for consumption without reheating.

Bacterial intoxications- these are diseases resulting from the consumption of food containing toxins, as a result of the development of a specific pathogen. Unlike toxicoinfections, in the case of bacterial intoxication, a toxin secreted by microorganisms during their reproduction in the product enters the human body along with food products. At the same time, live microbes in the product may no longer be present or they may be contained in a small amount.

An illustrative example of bacterial intoxication is botulism - poisoning with a toxin of bacteria. Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum toxin is regarded as the most powerful poison in the world and is part of the arsenal of biological weapons.

Mycotoxicoses- food poisoning resulting from the ingestion of mycotoxins, the waste products of some microscopic (mold) fungi, into the body along with food products.

Mycotoxins can enter the human body with milk, meat and fish in the case of using feed contaminated with microscopic fungi. Breeding in food products, mold fungi not only poison them, but also worsen their organoleptic properties, reduce nutritional value, lead to spoilage of products, and make them unsuitable for technological processing.

Mycotoxins are resistant to physical and chemical factors. The generally accepted methods of technological and culinary processing only partially reduce their content in food products. High temperature, drying, freezing, exposure to radioactive and ultraviolet rays are ineffective.

Symptoms of food poisoning

Most food poisonings have similar symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, loss of coordination.

Escherichia have a short incubation period that lasts from 2 hours to 1 day. The disease begins suddenly and manifests itself in the form of a moderately pronounced intoxication syndrome (chills, general weakness, headache, muscle pain) in combination with symptoms of lesions of the gastrointestinal tract (sharp abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea mixed with mucus and blood) . Body temperature is normal or slightly elevated - up to 37.5 ° C. The illness lasts from 1 to 3 days.

Bacteria of the genus Proteus have an incubation period of 4 to 24 hours after eating contaminated food. Severe cases are rare. The main clinical signs are a sharp pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, fever, general weakness, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The illness lasts 2-3, in some cases up to 5 days. In severe cases, cyanosis, convulsions, weakening of cardiac activity are observed, mortality is observed in 1.5-1.6% of cases.

Streptococcal toxic infections appear 8-12 hours after ingestion of contaminated foods. The clinical picture is typical for toxicoinfections. Recovery occurs in 1-2 days.

Botulism is one of the most dangerous food poisoning. The incubation period of botulism lasts from 2 hours to 10 days, most often 18-24 hours, depending on the amount of toxin that has entered the body. The disease develops suddenly. The first clinical signs: visual disturbances (feeling of fog, grids, doubling, flies before the eyes), reading complications, headache, unsteady gait. Later, the following symptoms appear: loss of voice, paralysis of the eyelids, involuntary movements of the eyeballs, tension of the masticatory muscles, paralysis of the soft palate, swallowing disorders and a feeling of lack of air. The temperature remains within the physiological norm or drops to 35.5°C. In the absence of timely treatment, mortality reaches 70% - death occurs in 2-3 days as a result of paralysis of the respiratory center or heart. Immunity to the disease is not formed.

Symptoms staphylococcal intoxication can be observed 2-4 hours after enterotoxin enters the body. However, the initial symptoms may appear earlier. First there is salivation, then nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Body temperature may be subfebrile or elevated. The disease is sometimes accompanied by complications: dehydration, shock, the presence of blood or mucus in the feces and vomit. Other symptoms of the disease include headache, convulsions, sweating, and general weakness. The degree of manifestation of these symptoms is determined mainly by the amount of toxin that has entered the body and the sensitivity of the patient. Recovery often occurs within a day, but may take several days. Deaths from staph food poisoning are extremely rare.

Ergotism- food poisoning of humans and animals, which occurs as a result of the use of grain products containing the microscopic fungus Claviceps purpurea (horns). Once in the body, the poison affects the nervous system and causes circulatory disorders. Signs of poisoning appear quickly - dizziness, chills, nausea, abdominal pain. Ergotism can occur in a convulsive, gangrenous or mixed form. In the case of a convulsive course, the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract are affected, salivation, nausea, vomiting, colic, convulsions of various muscle groups, hallucinations, dizziness appear. In the gangrenous form, neurovascular formations are affected, which is accompanied by trophic disorders of the limbs, cyanosis, necrosis of the fingers, toes and other parts of the body. Pregnant women experience miscarriage or premature birth.

Septic angina- a disease resulting from the consumption of food products from grain that has wintered under the snow and contains toxins from the fungus Fusarium sporotrichiella. Poisoning develops within 1-4 weeks in a severe form and often ends fatally. The course can be acute and end in death within a day.

Conventionally, there are three stages of the course of the disease. The first begins a few hours after eating contaminated food. It is accompanied by irritation of the mucous membrane oral cavity, thin whitish films are formed on it, which are easily removed. Weakness, nausea, a runny nose are felt. If the poisonous product is excluded from the diet, the disease disappears in 2-3 days, and if not, the second stage begins. Changes in the blood are diagnosed, the number of leukocytes decreases by 10 or more times, the hemoglobin content sharply decreases. The third stage is accompanied by rashes on the body, pain when swallowing, catarrhal, hemorrhagic and even gangrenous tonsillitis develops. Necrosis extends to the oral mucosa, bleeding occurs from the nose, pharynx, ears, uterus and intestines. Body temperature rises to 39-40°C. Mortality at this stage can reach 50-80%.

Prevention of food poisoning of bacterial origin involves the implementation of a set of measures:

• implementation of sanitary and sanitary-veterinary supervision and control over the processes of slaughtering animals, catching and processing fish, and the production of sausages;
• control over the manufacture of confectionery and bakery products;
• control over the production, storage and sale of ready-made meals in canteens, food units of children's institutions, buffets and catering establishments;
• maximum automation and mechanization production processes at food enterprises;
• ensuring production with serviceable refrigeration equipment;
• usage laboratory methods quality control of food products and heat treatment;
• observance of sanitary and hygienic rules and conditions of production, storage and transportation of products;
• effective implementation of planned deratization activities;
• bacteriological control of food products, compliance with the sanitary and hygienic regime and personal hygiene by personnel;
• compliance with storage conditions and terms of sale of food products.

food poisoning

General provisions

Food poisoning is called poisoning by the food itself or impurities to it, which got there by accident during the growth or initial processing of food raw materials, during storage or the manufacture and storage of food products. This, of course, does not include poisoning by poisons specially added to food for the purpose of murder or suicide.
More often we are talking about food poisoning of members of the same family, less often - a group of people who ate in the same canteen, buffet or other catering establishment. There are known cases of simultaneous food poisoning of tens, hundreds and even thousands of people.
Classification of food poisoning.
I. Food poisoning of bacterial origin:
1. Food poisoning caused by various microbes (toxic infections).
2. Food intoxication: botulism, staphylococcal intoxication.
II. Food poisoning of non-bacterial origin:
1. Food poisoning with poisonous products:
a) food poisoning by products of animal origin;
b) food poisoning by products of plant origin:
poisoning by poisonous plants;
poisoning with plant products that acquire toxic properties (potatoes, mycotoxicosis).
2. Food poisoning with toxic impurities:
poisoning with toxic impurities chemical origin(insecticides, fungicides, inorganic compounds);
poisoning with toxic impurities of plant origin.
III. Food poisoning of an unknown nature.
The centers of sanitary and epidemiological surveillance take an active part in the investigation of food poisoning. Cases of fatal food poisoning, and sometimes non-fatal in some group intoxications, are subject to mandatory forensic medical examination.
Forensic medical examination of food poisoning is important not only to assist the investigating authorities in establishing the cause of death and the sources of food poisoning, but can and should play a role in the prevention of such misfortunes, as well as in identifying the facts of incorrect intravital diagnosis of food poisoning. In such cases, the forensic medical examination comes into close contact with the health authorities, and primarily with the centers of sanitary and epidemiological surveillance.

Food poisoning of bacterial origin

Among food poisonings of bacterial origin, toxic infections are most common, the causative agents of which are usually salmonella - microbes of the paratyphoid group. Conditions conducive to the development of toxic infection include favorable temperature (37-40oC) and sufficient humidity. Therefore, it is no coincidence that most poisonings are observed in the hot season, i.e. there is a "seasonality" of food poisoning. At the same time, there are cases of food poisoning in cold weather, if prepared food contaminated with microbes is stored for a long time at a temperature of about 40 ° C. A significant role is played by the method of cooking, especially the degree of heat treatment: the duration of cooking, frying, etc. For example, when large pieces of meat are fried and boiled, microbes can remain viable in the depth of the product and subsequently multiply rapidly and cause food poisoning.
In case of intoxication, poisoning is associated with the ingestion of a large number of living microbes into the body, followed by their decay in the body and the release of endotoxin. Microbes enter the blood from the intestines, causing bacteremia. The destruction of microbes with the formation of endotoxin occurs both in the intestines and in the blood. Such a genesis of poisoning well explains the development and course of the disease, which occurs suddenly in the form of an “outbreak”, “explosion”, covering simultaneously or within a very short time, sometimes a significant number of people who ate in the same canteen, buffet, etc.
There is a known case of group poisoning of people in one of the southern cities of the country. Patients began to be delivered to hospitals approximately 3-4 hours after the next batch of ice cream entered the distribution network. Effective measures medical care gave a positive result. Only a few victims who did not turn to doctors in a timely manner could not be saved. B. enteritidis Breslau was isolated during bacteriological examination of ice cream residues, discharges of patients, as well as in the internal organs of the corpses of persons who died from ice cream poisoning. It turned out that stale eggs were used to make ice cream, in which the same pathogen was found. After a thorough investigation, all those responsible for food poisoning were prosecuted.
Toxicoinfections can be observed not only in the form of mass outbreaks, but also as sporadic diseases. According to the clinical course, the following three forms of food poisoning are distinguished: 1) gastroenteritis or gastroenterocolitis of varying severity, including cholera-like and dysentery-like forms; 2) typhoid form; 3) flu-like form. To recognize food poisoning, it is necessary to take into account the clinical course of the disease and the results of additional laboratory studies of food residues, vomit, blood, feces, etc. When establishing the etiology of toxic infection, the leading role is played by the reaction of agglutination of the isolated culture of pathogens with the blood serum of the sick.
The overall mortality in toxic infections is low (about 1%). Among children, deaths are more common.
Pathological and anatomical changes in food poisoning are very diverse. Already during an external examination of the corpse, signs of significant dehydration of the body attract attention: sunken eyes, a retracted abdomen, dry tissues, and sharply prominent skeletal muscles in thin subjects. The early appearance of putrefactive changes is noted, especially the rapid greening of the skin of the abdomen. Often there are multiple small hemorrhages in the skin and conjunctiva of the eyes.
An internal study reveals plethora and dystrophic changes in parenchymal organs, thick dark blood, sometimes a slight fibrinous coating on the peritoneum, and a viscous secret in the serous cavities. The intestines contain a large amount of liquid greenish masses with an admixture of mucus and a sharp putrid odor. The mucous membrane of the small and, to a lesser extent, large intestine is swollen, reddish throughout.
There is also a septic-pyemic form, in which death occurs in more late dates. This form is characterized by the greatest changes in the intestines and the presence of multiple pustules in the internal organs. Sometimes toxic infections are complicated by severe kidney damage (acute glomerulonephritis, necrotizing nephrosis), leading to death from acute renal failure.
Bacteriological examination helps to establish the diagnosis of food poisoning at autopsy. To do this, blood, bile and intestinal contents must be sent to the laboratory.
The diagnosis of toxicoinfection is established on the basis of all the data - the circumstances of the incident, the clinical picture of the disease, pathological and anatomical changes, and the results of laboratory tests.
Under food intoxication understand diseases that are caused by poisons of bacterial origin accumulated in food (botulinum toxin, toxins of certain strains of staphylococci).
Botulinus stick belongs to anaerobes, microbe spores are very resistant to various external influences, including high temperatures. This microbe is found in soil, manure, water, animal and human feces. Therefore, there is a high possibility of food contamination with botulinum bacillus or its spores. Under favorable conditions, spores germinate, and multiplying microbes form a toxin. Botulinum toxin is one of the most powerful poisons known to date. The lethal dose for humans is 0.035 mg of dry preparation.
IN clinical picture botulism is dominated by neurological symptoms: blurred vision, dizziness, paralysis of the eye muscles. Then the disorder of swallowing and speech joins due to paralysis of the swallowing muscles and vocal cords. Due to partial or complete paralysis of the diaphragm, breathing becomes difficult, frequent and superficial.
If a specific polyvalent serum is not administered to the patient in a timely manner, the disease progresses and death occurs in 4-7 days. Mortality reaches 60-70% of cases.
Severe intoxication can develop with the use of various foods: sausages, smoked meats, canned vegetables and fruits, red fish. Behind last years cases of botulism were caused mainly by products prepared at home without proper sanitary rules.
Death in botulism occurs from paralysis of the respiratory center. The autopsy data are uncharacteristic. There are signs of rapid death: liquid blood, plethora internal organs, scattered hemorrhages under the serous membranes, as well as pronounced dystrophic changes in parenchymal organs and nervous system.
Botulinum toxin is not determined by forensic chemistry methods. That's why great importance have a biological determination of the toxin in the contents of the intestine by infecting animals (mice, guinea pigs), as well as a sanitary and hygienic study of the remaining food, in which the causative agent of botulism can be sown.
Thus, expert diagnosis of botulism should be based on a thorough study of the epidemiological situation at the site of the onset of the disease, on the data of a clinical examination of the poisoned, on additional laboratory studies of food residues, vomit, washings, blood of patients, as well as on the results of a forensic examination of a corpse. if poisoning is fatal.
Staphylococcal intoxication develops most often with the use of creams, cakes, seeded Staphylococcus aureus. The developing disease is in the nature of acute gastroenteritis. Deaths are very rare.
Any specific signs characteristic of this intoxication are not observed in the study of corpses.
Diagnosis of staphylococcal toxicosis is based mainly on anamnestic data and the clinical picture of the disease. To make a bacteriological diagnosis of food poisoning of staphylococcal etiology in Lately use phage typing for staphylococci.

Food poisoning of non-bacterial origin

Food poisoning of non-bacterial origin is less common than bacterial, their causes are more numerous, and therefore the clinical and forensic diagnosis of such poisoning is more difficult.
Poisoning with poisonous products of animal origin. These include some species of fish, shellfish, and the endocrine glands of slaughter animals.
Of the poisonous fish, some are always and completely poisonous, others acquire poisonous properties only during the spawning period, and only caviar and milk are poisonous at this time. Separate types fish, normally suitable for food, in a number of water bodies sometimes become toxic due to special reasons. Currently, about 300 species of poisonous fish are known, most of which live in the Caribbean. Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Among the poisonous fish that live in pacific ocean and especially off the coast Russian Federation, can be called pufferfish, fugu. Caviar, milk, liver and blood of these fish have poisonous properties.
Fugu poison, tetraodotoxin, neurotropic poison, it acts on the neuromuscular synapses of the respiratory muscles. In the future, paralysis of the smooth muscles of the walls of blood vessels joins peripheral paralysis, which is associated with a drop in blood pressure. At the same time, the respiratory center is depressed. Poisoning with this poison is accompanied by a high degree of mortality.
Among freshwater poisonous fish, one should name the marinka that lives in reservoirs. Central Asia. Its meat is quite suitable for food, only caviar, milk and black peritoneum are poisonous. Therefore, freshly caught and gutted fish is suitable for food. Marinka venom has a neurotropic effect (gastroenteritis, headache, paralysis of peripheral muscles, including respiratory). Death from asphyxia is possible. Special processing neutralizes the product and makes it possible to eat it.
Poisoning by plant products. Among the poisonings of plant products, poisoning with poisonous mushrooms (pale toadstool, fly agaric, lines, etc.) is in the first place. Poisonings are seasonal and occur in autumn and spring.
Pale grebe poisoning most often occurs in the fall. This is an agaric mushroom, some of its varieties resemble champignons, others - russula and honey mushrooms. Unlike champignon, the pale grebe has a vagina (Volva) at the base of the leg, its plates are always white, while in champignons the plates are white only in young specimens, then they become pink and brown. However, the pale grebe has many varieties that make it difficult to recognize even by specialists. Pale grebe poisoning is accompanied by high mortality. Some authors point out that even one copy of the pale grebe can cause poisoning of a family of 5-6 people.

Example.
A family of 5 people ate soup from champignons bought at the market. After 30-40 hours after that, all family members fell ill: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea appeared. In 4 adults, the disease proceeded in a mild form, in a 3-year-old girl, after a long remission, hematemesis began. The child died with signs of heart failure. An autopsy revealed dystrophic changes in parenchymal organs, in particular fatty degeneration of the liver. During the investigation, it was found that during the cleaning of champignons, one of the mushrooms aroused suspicion by its resemblance to a pale toadstool. However, this fungus has not been seized and appears to have been the cause of the poisoning.

Thanks. Useful information.
Alas, I myself have recently been unlucky to be poisoned. Thank God no consequences, but still very unpleasant. On my suspicions expired canned food.
as soon as twisted
found potassium permanganate, made a solution. I washed my stomach with a liter, after that I took 4 tablets of white coal and lay down with a bottle of mineral water in my arms. =)
experience, ep. the order of actions has already been sharpened to a shine. this year for the 4th time. =)

Food poisoning is a separate group of diseases. These include acute (rarely chronic) diseases resulting from eating food massively contaminated with microorganisms or containing substances of a microbial or non-microbial nature that are toxic to the human body.

Food poisoning is divided into groups: microbial and non-microbial and of unknown etiology (Table 1).

Microbial food poisoning

The share of food poisoning of a microbial nature accounts for up to 95% of all cases of food poisoning. Unlike intestinal infections, food poisoning of a microbial nature is not transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one, they have only a food way of transmission.

Microbial food poisoning can proceed by type and (intoxication).

Non-microbial food poisoning

Poisoning by products that are poisonous in nature. Among this group of food poisonings, mushroom poisonings are the most frequently observed.

All mushrooms are divided into edible and inedible, and edible - into unconditionally and conditionally edible. Conditionally edible mushrooms should be cooked with the removal of the decoction or repeated soaking (russula, milk mushrooms, volnushki, etc.). The group of inedible mushrooms includes inedible organoleptic properties (bile fungus) and poisonous mushrooms. Poisonous mushrooms - pale grebe, line, fly agaric, false honey agaric, thin-legged pig, etc. (Fig. 6).

Rice. 6. Poisonous and conditionally suitable mushrooms:

1 - pale grebe; 2 - satanic mushroom; 3 - false honey agarics; 4 - fly agaric; 5 - lines; 6 - morel

Pale grebe is the most poisonous mushroom, causing death in 80% of cases of poisoning. Under the name "pale toadstool" they combine green, yellow and white toadstools. They can often be found in the forest from July to late autumn. Pale grebe is similar to champignons and some types of russula. The hallmarks of the pale grebe are a tuberous thickening at the base of the stem and the presence of a white collar.

All parts of the mushroom are poisonous. Poisons of the pale grebe belong to the groups of amanitins and phalloidins. They are not destroyed by heating and the action of digestive enzymes. Poisoning occurs after 8-24 hours, repeated vomiting, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, jaundice appear. Death occurs in 2-3 days as a result of toxic hepatitis and acute cardiovascular failure.

Lines are considered conditional edible mushrooms, however, recently the question of classifying them as poisonous mushrooms has been raised. Poisoning is observed in the spring after eating dishes from fresh mushrooms. Most often, poisoning is associated with the use of lines instead of harmless spring morel mushrooms. In contrast to morels, the cap of the lines is shapeless, partially fused with a short stalk. The poisonous beginning of the lines - gyromitrin, which is not destroyed during cooking and does not turn into a decoction, has a toxic effect on the liver. The content of gyromitrin can range from lethal doses to practically harmless ones. With prolonged air drying, gyromitrin is inactivated.

By the nature of the impact, gyromitrin resembles the toxins of the pale toadstool. Symptoms of poisoning appear after 6-10 hours (weakness, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea), on the second day - jaundice and severe headaches. Deaths are observed in approximately 30% of cases.

Amanitas (red and panther) have a bright hat color and are the cause of poisoning most often when they are mistakenly used by children. The toxic effect of these mushrooms is associated with the content of muscarine, muscaridine and other substances that act on the autonomic and central nervous system. Symptoms of poisoning (salivation, narrowing of the pupils) appear after 30 minutes, less often 1-2 hours, there may be hallucinations, convulsions, and heart rhythm disturbances.

Mushroom poisoning can be associated with the consumption of false mushrooms, thin pig, yellow-skinned champignon, spring entoloma, etc.

Prevention of mushroom poisoning comes down to streamlining the collection of mushrooms, their processing and sale. It is forbidden to sell a mixture of mushrooms or mushrooms without stems. Mushrooms should be sorted by species. It is forbidden to cook caviar from agaric mushrooms. You can not use wormy, withered and old mushrooms for cooking. In public catering, the acceptance and processing of mushrooms should be given Special attention.

Poisoning by poisonous plants can occur when they are mistakenly used instead of edible ones. The cause of poisoning can be poisonous milestones, hemlock, dog parsley, wolf bast berries, elderberries, belladonna, henbane seeds and other wild and cultivated plants.

The admixture of seeds of weeds (heliotrope pubescent, trichodesma gray, creeping mustard, elm, sophora, etc.) to grain can cause severe chronic poisoning. Prevention of weed toxicoses consists in the release of grain from weed seeds.

Poisoning by fish tissues is observed when caviar of some fish of the carp family (marinka, osman, common barbel) is consumed during the spawning period. Jadciprinidine is found in the eggs of these fish, and in the marinka - in the peritoneum. Death can occur from paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

Poisoning by products that are poisonous under certain conditions

The glycoalkaloids solanine and chaconine are present in many plant foods. Solanine is contained in potato tubers in the amount of 20-40, in the peel - 270, in sprouts germinated in the light - up to 4070 mg%. If potatoes are stored improperly, they turn green, germinate, and solanine content increases dramatically. Solanine poisoning is possible when mashing such potatoes (along with a decoction) or eating potatoes boiled with peel. At the same time, a bitter taste and a scratching sensation are noted, then nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, palpitations, and shortness of breath appear. The toxic dose for humans is 200-400 mg of solanine.

Some other vegetables in the nightshade family, as well as eggplant and tomatoes, contain the glycoalkaloid chaconine.

Lectins are toxic substances of a protein nature, widely distributed in plants, especially in legumes. Lectins act on the intestinal mucosa, reducing the ability to assimilate nutrients, can cause erythrocytes to stick together. Lectins are inactivated when beans are autoclaved for 30 min. The occurrence of poisoning is possible only with insufficient heat treatment of dishes and food concentrates from bean flour.

Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside contained in bitter almonds and kernels of stone fruits (apricots, cherries, etc.) and decomposed in the human stomach to form hydrocyanic acid. 50 mg of hydrocyanic acid causes in humans fatal poisoning. Death comes from respiratory paralysis. There are known cases of poisoning people when using 20-40 apricot kernels containing 1 mg of amygdalin. From the seeds of cherries, amygdalin can turn into jam and compotes that are stored for more than a year. Poisoning also occurs when using long-term infused liqueurs from stone fruits, cakes after pressing peach or apricot oil. The use of bitter almonds in the confectionery industry, the sale of peach and apricot pits are not allowed.

The cyanogenic glycoside linamarin is found in white beans and flax seeds.

Poisoning by mollusks (mussels) and crustaceans is observed during the massive reproduction of planktonic microorganisms (dinoflagellates) that mussels feed on. Saxitoxin and its analogues, which accumulate in mussels and crabs, have a neurotoxic effect, which can be fatal within 24 hours.

Poisoning can be caused by substances formed as a result of bacterial decomposition of protein during improper storage of fish from the mackerel family (tuna, etc.) and salmon. Accumulation of biologically active amine - histamine over 100 mg/kg of fish is considered dangerous. Symptoms of poisoning resemble an allergic reaction: hives, redness of the face, abdominal pain, runny nose, suffocation.

Food poisoning of unspecified etiology previously included diseases occurring among the coastal population of the Frischgaf lagoon of the Baltic Sea, Lake Yuks in the Leningrad Region, Lake Sartlan in Western Siberia (Haffekai, Yuksovskaya, Sartlanskaya diseases). Diseases are associated with the consumption of certain types of fish (burbot, pike, perch, pike perch, etc.), which acquire poisonous properties in certain periods of the year. The nature of the toxic principle has now been established - these are algotoxins that accumulate in fish during the rapid reproduction of blue-green algae. 10-72 hours after eating such fish, sharp pains in the muscles, cyanosis, and respiratory disorders occur.

Poisoning with honey contaminated with pollen of poisonous plants (ledum, rhododendron, dope, wolf's bast, ranunculus, tobacco, etc.) is also possible.

Food poisoning caused by chemical impurities

May be associated with higher levels in foods food additives and impurities that have passed into products from equipment, inventory, containers, packaging materials, as well as impurities that have entered products from the environment.

Nitrites and nitrates are used as food additives in the production of sausages (to fix the pink color), as preservatives in the manufacture of cheeses and feta cheese. Nitrates accumulate in vegetable and melon crops due to the use of nitrogen and nitrogenous fertilizers. Nitrates are converted during storage and processing of vegetables into nitrites, and the intake of nitrites leads to the formation of methemoglobin in the blood, which is accompanied by respiratory disorders, cyanosis, weakness and other symptoms. The danger of nitrites entering the human body is also associated with the formation of nitrosamines, which have a carcinogenic effect. In our country, strict control is exercised over the use of these food additives and the residual amounts of nitrites and nitrates in food products.

According to hygienic standards, the content of nitrites in cooked sausages should not exceed 50 mg/kg of the product.

When using utensils, equipment, inventory for other purposes or made from materials that do not meet hygienic requirements, salts of heavy metals or other chemicals can pass into food. Metals can get into food products from the soil when it is contaminated with industrial emissions, vehicles, etc. Most often, poisoning is chronic, but in some cases acute poisoning is recorded, for example, with zinc salts when galvanized dishes are used improperly.

Lead ingestion is possible from dishes, equipment, cans. Tin does not have toxic properties and therefore is widely used for tinning dishes and tin, but its accumulation in food is undesirable due to the transfer of lead impurities. In order to avoid poisoning, tin with a lead impurity content of not more than 1% is used for tinning dishes, and not more than 0.04% for tinning cans. Lead can pass into food from ceramic, polymer, glassware, if it is not certified and does not meet safety requirements. The content of lead salts in food products should not exceed the established standards.

Zinc poisoning occurs when galvanized cookware is used improperly. The galvanized surface of the cookware is coated with a thin layer of zinc carbonate. If you cook or store food in such dishes, especially with an acid reaction of the environment, then under the influence of organic acids, zinc salts pass into food and cause poisoning. Symptoms of poisoning are associated with the irritating effect of zinc salts on the gastric mucosa. Zinc salts do not dissolve in water, so galvanized dishes can be used to store water.

Copper utensils and equipment without half-bath can be the cause of poisoning with copper salts. Currently, copper is used for the manufacture of dishes only in the composition of alloys.

For the manufacture of utensils, containers, parts of machines and equipment, refrigerators, inventory and packaging, it is allowed to use polymeric materials, varnishes, paints, adhesives, only approved by the sanitary authorities for contact with food products. The danger is represented by additives (stabilizers, plasticizers, antioxidants, dyes, etc.) that are part of synthetic materials, as well as residual amounts of monomers. The transition of chemicals from polymers increases with their aging and destruction, as well as with improper use (heating, etc.) of dishes, containers or packaging.

Arsenic, mercury, cadmium, fluorine, manganese and other chemicals can get into food from the environment.

Food products of both plant and animal origin may contain pesticides (toxic chemicals) used in agriculture to protect plants from weeds and pests. In our country, more than 300 pesticides of various chemical composition and appointments. At the same time, some of the pesticides can accumulate in soil, water, food and may have an adverse effect on the human body.

Pesticides have varying toxicity to humans. Of particular danger are drugs that are highly stable in the external environment, the ability to accumulate in living organisms and be excreted in the milk of animals. Many organochlorine pesticides have such properties. A typical representative of them DDT has been banned for use since 1970. DDT, isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane, are standardized in almost all food products, as they are global environmental pollutants. Mercury-organic pesticides, as well as salts and esters of 2,4-D acid are controlled in grain products, their presence is not allowed. The use of organomercury drugs, which are highly toxic to humans, is currently prohibited in our country.

Food poisoning of a microbial type is classified as a disease that cannot be transmitted to other people.

Usually, the disease arises after the use of products on which spores of microorganisms have settled, or they contain toxic compounds.

This deviation refers to a common subtype of food pathology that can lead to outbreaks of mass poisoning or a single infection.

Intoxication after eating various products has some features, so this disease can be easily distinguished from other pathologies.

The main information that indicates microbial etiology is:

• a sharp development of pathology;
• relationship with food intake
• mass spread of bacteria on food products;
• no contagiousness;
• a shortened incubation period, sometimes it reaches only half an hour;
• there is no immunity to pathology;
• mass poisoning if the product was used by a group of people;
• symptoms associated with pathology in the gastrointestinal tract.

Poisoning associated with the manifestation of microbial etiology is classified into 3 groups:

1. Toxic infections - the disease spreads rapidly after foods containing many microbial toxins have been eaten.
2. Toxic infection against the background of the presence of conditionally pathogenic microorganisms. The onset of the disease occurs when a number of microorganisms enter the body. It usually manifests itself if you violate the rules of personal hygiene or store food improperly.
3. Toxicosis is a poisoning of a different subtype that forms in the body if you eat foods with a massive accumulation of toxins.

As a result of poisoning in the human body, the following can be formed:

1. Endotoxins. They belong to the group of lipopolysaccharides that build the wall of Gram-negative bacteria. After release, active actions on their part occur after the mass death of the pathogenic flora. Due to the activation of some processes, the patient can be noted improvement immune systems, getting rid of toxic products and dangerous microbes. In some cases, due to the presence of endotoxins inside, an allergic reaction is noted.
2. Exotoxins are dangerous proteins that retain the ability to biological activity outside of the body, contribute to the normalization of a number of processes. The mechanism of influence is simple, after close contact with a person, pathological changes are noted.

In this subgroup, several more types can be distinguished:

• group A - protein-type toxins, their release occurs into the external environment;
• group B - a microbial infection that can divide not only in the conditions of the outside world, they also note a close effect on the bacterial cell;
• group C - microorganisms do an excellent job and carry their harmful effects, bacteria, after their death, come out naturally.

Bacterial-type toxins have a number of differences, the manifestation of certain symptoms provokes a change in the condition of the skin and other signs:

1. Neurotoxins. There is a partial blockage of nerve endings, this is acceptable. Nerve impulses cannot be sent to the desired gap on the body.
2. Cytotoxins. Usually they are localized in a certain area, without going beyond its borders. In some cases, the dissolution of the membrane part of a number of cells is noted.
3. enzyme toxins. After poisoning with them, the patient is diagnosed with a malfunction in the normal functioning of a number of organs.
4. A toxin capable of inhibiting an enzyme. All processes can not normally occur in the body.

Specialists of clinical laboratories pay attention to another type of toxins that exhibit a mixed type of effect.

It's important to know! When identifying E. coli or the presence of cholera vibrio requires the help of a specialist. The pathological process contributes to the formation of toxins of two types.

A separate line is always mycotoxins, these are toxic fungal-type compounds. They are able to spread on the surface of fruits, cereals, vegetables. They may be present if the products have been stored for too long or in poor quality conditions. Aspergillus fungus is considered one of the most dangerous representatives of this group.

Because of it, severe allergic reactions occur, pathological processes are formed in the kidneys, infectious diseases or hepatitis of a toxic type develop.

It has been scientifically proven that under the influence of such fungi, malignant neoplasms develop.

There are cases when a number of terrible diseases manifest themselves due to pathogenic microflora. Clostridium bacteria, provoke the development of gas gangrene, botulism or tetanus.

Botulism Clostridium botulinum

The causative agent of the disease contributes to the development of several types of exotoxins. They lead their lives in various canned food, sometimes they are found in mushroom pickles. Such microorganisms are able to show pathogenic influence only under anaerobic conditions. Provided that oxygen is absent, this microflora dies.

Must know! Neither gastric juice, nor freezing, nor active salting can stop the activation of this type of toxins. The only barrier is the heat treatment of long-term products.

It is very easy to detect botulinum toxins in preservation, as the lid of the jar will have a strong swelling. This phenomenon may not affect the taste. In rare cases, there is a sensation of the taste of rancid fat. But for this, a lot of gases must accumulate in the container, this will also entail changes in the color and structure of the product.

Gas gangrene Clostridium perfringens

Bacteria contribute to the formation of 12 poisons, due to the influence of which mass edema, excessive gas formation and tissue necrosis occur. Pathogenic microflora can get inside when a wound is received or after injury to the skin. For example, a gunshot wound, stab or laceration. There are cases when, after amputation, the patient developed a similar pathology.

Under what conditions are toxins formed inside the body?

• problems with the protective functions of the body, weak resistance;
• anaerobic conditions;
• localization of dead cells along the wound.

In addition, microorganisms of this type contribute to the development of food poisoning involving bacterial toxins.

This condition is characterized by diarrhea, a specific rash, high fever and vomiting.

Tetanus Clostridium tetani

The bacterium that causes the disease contributes to the emergence of a powerful exotoxin in the body. Moreover, it consists of two fractions, which was not observed in previously described diseases. Primarily, tetanolysin is generated, which adversely affects the hematopoietic system.

After this, tetanospasmin is formed, which is distinguished by the blocking properties of inhibitory mediators. The patient can be noted uncontrolled contractions from the muscular system. Subsequently, cases of death are possible.

The emergence of new spores is facilitated by negative conditions and the presence of oxygen. Due to these factors, the period of active life of the bacterium increases.

To date, many cases have been proven when such weapons were used in practice. It is a pathogenic microflora, toxins and methods for their delivery. It was created in order to lead to mass death of the population, plants or animals.

Various laboratories have been studying the characteristics of pathogenic microbes, toxins and other pathogenic microflora for years. This is the basis for weapons of this type.

The main task of such industries is the cultivation of various microorganisms and the removal of drugs containing toxins.

Particular attention is paid to the methods of spreading microbes, there are several of them:

• transmissible;
• contact;
• alimentary;
• aerogenic.

Often, a whole bunch of various microbes turns out to be a biological weapon, this contributes to a high percentage of infection and mass deaths. At the same time, special attention is paid to strains that cannot be transmitted from the affected person to a healthy person. This is due to the ability to keep the epidemic within one focus, without its further spread to other territories.

Today scientists in modern world a lot of time and money are devoted to the study of toxins, pathogenic microflora, their features, properties and effects on a living organism.

The issue of artificial production of analogues of certain viruses is being studied quite carefully. The goal of the majority is to synthesize this type of bacteriological weapon.

Knowledge of the mechanism of action of toxins of microbial origin opens up new opportunities for pharmacology to study and develop new types and strains of microbes.

The most common food poisoning is bacteriological. The common name for inflammation of the intestines and stomach is gastroenteritis, intoxication through food is one of the main factors. Bacterial food poisoning is dangerous to human health. It is doubly dangerous not to know about the causes of infection, its etiology, and methods of treatment.

Occurs as a result of eating. They are divided into infectious and non-microbial. And infectious - on microbial and viral. Each of the varieties of food intoxication has distinctive features. Feature- lack of contagiousness (ability to be transmitted to a contact person), in contrast to intestinal ones. Mass poisoning among groups of people is not caused by contagiousness, but by the use of the same product - the carrier of a microbial infection. The disease has a short incubation period during which toxins are affected.

The first sign is an upset digestive system. Except for situations with botulism and poisoning with products containing chemical compounds of lead.

What microbes cause food poisoning

The nature of bacteria is different and the manifestations of their presence vary. The causative agents of inflammation Pr. mirabilis and Pr. Vulgaris, a subspecies of B. Proteus, is resistant to heat (up to 65°C for 30 minutes) and lack of moisture (up to one year). Bacteria of the group do not break down proteins and their presence in meat, fish products, vegetable salads cannot be seen from the spoiled appearance. The clinic for protea poisoning is pronounced: there is a convulsive syndrome, cyanosis.

When infected with opportunistic microbes, products acquire a bitter aftertaste. Enterococci B are constantly found in the human body in small quantities. They can be in finished or cooked products after their storage and use without heat treatment.

Spore-bearing bacteria (Cl. Perfringens) withstand heat treatment, germinate in products that stay warm for a long time. They live in meat and fish.

The consequences of its defeat are dangerous, bacterial intoxication in the amount of 0.035 mg is a lethal dose.

Unlike botulinum, staphylococcus, once in the body, will manifest itself in a few hours and can last 2-3 days. Cases of death are extremely rare. The causative agent is found in long-term storage products:

• in starch;
• in sugar
• in fish;
• in sweet cream cakes;
• in milk.

In addition to these microbes, there are:

1. Salmonella.
2. Streptococci.
3. Shigella.
4. Escherichia.
5. Clostridia.
6. Bacillus.
7. Citrobacter.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli perform the necessary functions in the body, but among them are Listeria and Salmonella. The salmonellosis caused by the latter is a popular type of microbial poisoning. The disease is delivered to humans through eggs and meat, and gets into them from livestock and rodents. In the list of products potentially capable of containing the salmonella microbe, food creams, jellies, butter, boiled vegetables. The infection is carried by flies and mice. Exclusive carriers are people who have previously suffered from salmonellosis.

For the onset of symptoms of poisoning, it is necessary to infect the body with a large number of microbes (10 to 8 microbes). A mass of bacteria can comfortably fit in food and enter the human stomach. Food is the main source of microbial infections.

Signs and symptoms

Microbial food poisoning begins from the moment the bacteria enters the digestive system, into the small intestine, where it provokes inflammation of the mucosa. It is classified as bacterial in origin because of the bacterium that provokes poisoning. Following the inflammatory process in the intestine, symptoms characteristic of the condition appear:

• headache;
• general deterioration of well-being;
• pain in the abdomen;
• indigestion (diarrhea);
• convulsive syndrome, double vision;
• vomit.

The incubation of the disease takes place quickly - from half an hour to 3-4 hours. The listed symptoms of intoxication of the body appear within two days.

Some types of infections are different.

Manifestations of botulism cause sharp pains in the abdomen of a spasmodic nature, unsteady gait, dizziness, headaches, and general weakness.

Next: the soft palate (in the mouth) and the eyelids are paralyzed, it becomes difficult to swallow, disappears, the voice is hoarse, vomiting and diarrhea. After a day, changes in the activity of the organs of the nervous system occur: vision deteriorates (fog before the eyes), double vision occurs, sometimes strabismus appears; muscle weakness is sharply felt; compresses the chest and makes breathing difficult.

The last symptom is a formidable warning about the presence of a severe form of botulism and the risk of death.

Features of the treatment of microbial intoxication

Most of the symptoms caused by different pathogens are similar. Pathogenic microorganisms can be accommodated in a particular section of the gastrointestinal tract. Both aspects are important, since the nature of the treatment, its duration depends on the correct identification of the source of the disease and location. It is worth contacting a doctor to make a diagnosis and prescribe therapy, to restore health. An experienced physician will be able to take into account the characteristics of the patient's body, prescribe excellent methods for a child and a person of age.

For treatment, it is necessary at the first manifestations to wash the stomach using a warm solution of potassium permanganate or baking soda. In botulism, the time after poisoning for gastric lavage does not matter. The process continues until clean water. After washing, it will be necessary to restore the water-salt balance by rehydration therapy. With a mild degree of the disease and a slight loss of water (within 3% of body weight), take up to 1 liter per hour of saline solution (oralita, rehydron, citraglucosolan). The pace is effective and will not provoke vomiting.

With a severe degree of poisoning, therapy is carried out intravenously with the introduction of a solution (trisol, paktasol, chlosol, quartasol) drip. The duration of the procedure depends on the condition of the patient. During the procedure, up to 3 liters of recovery fluid can be injected.

Having restored the water-salt balance, detoxification is carried out using drugs: hemodez, rheopolyglucin, albumin. With a sharp inflammation of the stomach and / or intestines, apply:

• smecta, sorbex, enterorsgels (as enterosorbents);
• binder powders containing calcium carbonate, bismuth nitrate;
• preparations of no-shpy, spasmol, drotaverine (as antispasmodics);
• ibuprofen, diclofenac, indomethacin (as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs);
• bifidumbacterin, lactobacterin, atsilact (eubiotics, in order to normalize microflora) and vitamins.

Antibiotic treatment is given to immunosuppressed patients. For the treatment of botulism poisoning, medications are used that contribute to the normalization nervous activity, antibiotics, cardiotonic agents, and anti-botulinum serum.

Possible complications and prevention

Complications are exposed to young children, the elderly and those with endogenous processes, women during pregnancy.

A dangerous complication is sepsis - a general inflammation of the body caused by complex food poisoning of bacterial origin, brought by streptococci, staphylococci. Sepsis is characterized elevated temperature, rapid breathing, turning into pneumonia, peritonitis, the appearance of abscesses on the body and organs. With negative development, septic shock, a disorder in the blood supply and a fatal outcome are possible.

Prevention of food poisoning consists in monitoring the sanitary and epidemiological state at food manufacturing enterprises. On a personal level - issues of hygiene, compliance with the rules of safe storage at home.

It is important to remember that the listed methods of prevention are the only ones. There are no vaccines against germs that cause poisoning.