Exactly what are food-borne illnesses? 

 

More than 200 distinct pathologic conditions can be included under this heading. This excludes individual allergic reactions to food, and other individual conditions with an inherited condition such a celiac disease (where wheat, rye, and barley must be avoided), or phenylketonuria. The numbers of serotypes is far greater. Salmonella enteric alone has more than 2,000 serotypes.

 

Foodborne illnesses can be initially divided into:

• bacterial infections such as salmonellosis or campylobacteriosis,

• viral infections such as with norovirus, or hepatitis A

• parasitic infections, such as from Trichinella or Toxoplasma

• bacterial toxins such as from Bacillus cereus or Staphylococcus aureus

• fungal toxins such as aflatoxin or patulin

 

Each has its distinctive route of entry through food, pathology, signs and symptoms, target tissues, control measures, treatments, onset time, infectivity potential, diagnostic and laboratory tests, and potential for complications/sequalae, and even death.

 

The onset time can vary from minutes (for B. cereus -emetic type- toxicosis) to days, or weeks (for hepatitis A viral infection or listeriosis)

 

Many are barely noticeable, mild, and self-limiting, whereas others can have a high risk of death to the infants or elderly (e.g., listeriosis, salmonellosis, shigellosis), or if the correct anti-toxin cannot be administered in time (botulism).

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QUESTION:   How can I deliberately give myself a food-borne illness?

(I was recently asked this question, although I cannot imagine why any sane person would need to carry out this mission!).

 

Believe it or not, scientists have in the past voluntarily acquired foodborne diseases to study the process. (At least they had a reason.)
For you, the method is simple. Just do what thousands of food handlers in restaurants and home kitchens do every month that results in their customers, patrons, or family members developing symptoms and suffering unpleasant illness. Here are six assorted choices:
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1. Allow a little drippage from raw poultry to fall into the bowl of potato salad in the 'fridge, and next day let the potato salad sit around for a few hours at room temperature. (Good chance of Salmonellosis or Campylobacteriosis - that's the one with the bloody diarrhea)
2. Pick your nose and sneeze while slicing some ham, then keep the ham at room temperature overnight. (Excellent chance of Staphylococcal toxicosis: cramps and vomiting)
3. UNDERcook your hamburger patty just to "rare" and eat several just to make sure! (Result: enterohemorrhagic E. coli infection; and you might hit the jackpot with hemolytic uremic syndrome thrown in for the lucky 15%. This is exactly what happened at a major hamburger chain in 1981)
4. Buy lots of "organically-grown" spinach, but don't bother too much with washing it before eating it raw in a salad, and sprinkle some raw bean sprouts on the top. (More E.coli, anyone?)
5. Find a local purveyor of unpasteurized milk and drink some each day (good chance of an enteric upset - (E. coli, Brucellosis, Salmonellosis, Campylobacteriosis, or many others) 
6. Find someone who has hepatitis A virus infection and ask him to prepare your sandwiches for a week, and tell him its ok NOT to wash his hands after using the washroom. (Then buy extra toilet paper, and set your watch for 25-35 days time!)
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I could add another 30 or 40 more. These are NOT far-fetched disgusting fictional scenarios; - they are very REAL disgusting scenarios that are played out every day across the country and around the globe in hotels, hamburger joints, and family restaurants. Good luck- oh and check your health plan and life insurance first

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