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What are the the symptoms, sources of contamination, and disease incidence for foodborne pathogens? to Top

Bacteria

Principal Symptomsa

Potential food contaminationa

No. of illnessesb

No. of deaths.b

Bacillus cereus

Diarrheal-watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps and pain. Emetic-nausea and vomiting

Meats, milk, vegetables, fish

Rice products, starchy foods

27,360

N/A

0

N/a

Campylobacter spp.

Watery diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, headache, muscle pain

Raw chicken, beef, pork, shellfish, raw milk

1,963,141

99

Clostridium botulinum

Weariness, weakness, vertigo, double vision, difficulty swallowing and speaking.

Improperly canned or fermented goods

58

4

Clostridium perfringens

Intense abdominal cramps, diarrhea7

.Intense abdominal cramps, diarrhea

248,520

7

Enterobacter sakazakii

Meningitis, enteritis

Powdered infant formula

1:100,000 infants

20-50%c

Listria monocytogenes

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; influenza-like symptoms, meningitis, encephalitis; septicemia in pregnant women, their fetuses, or newborns; intrauterine or cervical infection that may result in spontaneous abortion or stillbirth.

Raw milk, cheeses (particularly soft ripened varieties), raw vegetables, raw meats, raw and smoked fish, fermented sausages.

2,493

499

Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi

Typhoid-like fever, malaise, headache, abdominal pain, body aches, diarrhea, or constipation.

Raw meats, poultry, eggs, milk and dairy products, fish, shrimp, yeast, coconut, sauces, salad dressings.

659

3

Other Salmonella spp.

Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, headache; chronic symptoms (e.g. arthritis)

Raw meats, poultry, eggs, milk and dairy products, fish, shrimp, yeast, coconut, sauces, salad dressings.

1,341,873

553

Shigella spp.

Abdominal pain and cramps: diarrhea; fever, vomiting, body, pus, or mucus in stools, tenemus

Salads ( potato, tuna, chicken, macaroni) raw vegetables, bakery products (e.g., cream-filled pastries) sandwich fillings, milk and dairy products, poultry.

89,648

14

Staphylococcus aureus

Nausea, vomiting, retching, abdominal cramps, prostration

Meat and meat products, poultry, egg products, salads (chicken, potato, macaroni), cream-filled bakery products, milk and dairy products.

185,060

2

Vibrio cholera Serogroup 01

Mild watery diarrhea, acute diarrhea, rice-water stools.

Raw or recontaiminated oysters, clams, crabs.

49

0

V. cholera Serogroup non-01

Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, vomiting, nausea; blood or mucus-containing stools.

Raw or recontaminated oysters, clams, crabs.

49

0

Vibrio vulnificus

Fever, chills, nausea, septicemia in individuals with some underlying diseases or taking immunosuppressive drugs or sterioids.

Raw or recontaminated oysters, clams, crabs.

47

18

Other Vibrio spp.

Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, chills.

Raw, improperly cooked or recontaminated shellfish or fish.

N/a

N/a

Yersinia enterocolitica

Fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or vomiting

Meats, oysters, fish, raw milk

86,731

2

         
Summary of symptoms, sources of contamination, and disease incidence for foodborne pathogens.
a-Based on FDA/CFSAN (2003)
b. Baked on Mead et al. (1999). N/a indicates that no estimate was provided for this pathogen.
c-From WHO (2004)
McEntire, Jennifer C. 2004July. IFT Issues update on foodborne pathogens. Food technology 58(7): 20.
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Updated: Saturday, December 29, 2007.

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