Flu Flu Basics

Food Poisoning or Flu?

Recent government research shows that rates of certain foodborne illnesses, such as infections from E. coli bacteria, are dropping due to better food industry policies. But that doesn't mean you should throw caution to the wind when it comes to mealtime, especially when the weather gets warm enough for backyard barbecues and picnics in the park.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76 million Americans contract foodborne diseases every year, affecting more people than the common cold. But many of the symptoms of food poisoning mimic those of the garden-variety flu, sometimes leaving people to wonder if the cause was the food they ate or a virus they picked up along the way.

Food poisoning can be caused by contamination with a variety of bugs, namely viruses, bacteria and parasites.

Recognizing Food Poisoning
Despite the prevalence of foodborne illnesses, it can be hard to recognize them. Like people with the "stomach flu", those with foodborne illness usually suffer from vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.

"There's no real easy way to distinguish between many types of foodborne illness and a flu bug, but with the flu, one might be more apt to see generalized aches and pains and just overall not feeling well," says Dr. Cecil Wilson, an internist and a member of the American Medical Association's board of trustees.

The telltale sign of food poisoning is usually the quick onset of the symptoms. "Foodborne illnesses are, by and large, illness that occur in close proximity to exposure," Wilson says. "With most viral or bacterial foodborne illnesses, you would eat a meal and then have symptoms within the next 24 to 36 hours. If you are exposed to a bacterium like E. coli, you may eat lunch or dinner and have nausea, vomiting or diarrhea a couple of hours later."

Parasitic diseases, Wilson says, are the exception because they can develop over the course of a week or two.

Other clues may lie in what and where you last ate. Common culprits are raw or undercooked eggs, meat and fish, particularly shellfish such as shrimp. Unpasteurized milk and juice, as well as fresh fruits, vegetables and cheese, are often breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria. Traveling to a foreign country or just eating imported food can also increase your risk.

And if a large number of people have the same symptoms at the same time, then the cause is most likely food poisoning. However, if people are ill at different times their symptoms are more likely to be flu-related, as it takes time to pass the virus from person to person.

When to Get Help
It's recommended that children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems visit their physicians if there is a chance they have food poisoning. According to Wilson, members of these high-risk groups are more vulnerable to foodborne illness and can become seriously ill.

A visit to the doctor is also warranted when people with diarrhea or vomiting have these symptoms:

• Bloody diarrhea
• Diarrhea that lasts three or more days
• Fever of over 101º F
• Dehydration
• Neurological symptoms such as weakness

Avoiding Contamination
According to the Partnership for Food Safety Education, the four steps for fighting foodborne bacteria are "clean, separate, cook and chill."

Clean:

• Hands
• Cutting boards
• Utensils
• Countertops

• Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood separated in the shopping cart and the refrigerator.
• Use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and another for fruits and vegetables.
• Clean all surfaces that make contact with raw meat, poultry or seafood with hot, soapy water.

• Use a meat thermometer.
• Cook roasts and steaks to 145ºF.
• Cook poultry to 180ºF.
• Cook ground meat to 160ºF.

• Refrigerate perishables, prepared foods and leftovers within two hours.
• Never defrost on the counter; use the refrigerator or cold water.
• Don't overcrowd the refrigerator so that air can circulate within it.