In this Article

• What Is Campylobacter Infection?
• Is Campylobacter Infection a Serious Health Concern?
• How Is Campylobacter Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
• What Is Salmonella?
• Can Salmonella Infection Cause Serious Health Problems?
• How Is Salmonella Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
• How Can I Prevent Getting Salmonella?
• What Is Shigella
• How Is Shigella Diagnosed and Treated?
• How Can Shigella Infection Be Prevented?
• What Is E. Coli?
• Can E. Coli Infection Cause Serious Health Problems?
• How Is E. Coli Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
• What Is Listeria Infection?
• How Is Listeria Infection Diagnosed and Treated?
• What Is Botulism?
• How Is Botulism Diagnosed and Treated?
• How Can Botulism Be Prevented?
• Food Poisoning Glossary
• Food Poisoning Index

How Is Listeria Infection Diagnosed and Treated?

Listeria infection is often diagnosed by medical history and confirmed by blood or spinal fluid tests.

Antibiotic treatment will usually cure the infection, and when given promptly to an infected pregnant woman, may prevent infection of her fetus.

Even with prompt treatment, some infections result in death. In the elderly and people with other serious medical problems, these infections are more likely to be fatal.

What Is Botulism?

The bacterium Clostridium botulinum is responsible for causing the rare but serious illness botulism.

According to the CDC, the three main types of botulism are foodborne, wound, and infant botulism. Foodborne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin. Wound botulism, which is very rare, is caused by a toxin produced from a wound infected with C. botulinum. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of botulinum bacteria, which grow in a child's intestines.

All forms of botulism can be deadly and are considered medical emergencies.

Symptoms include:

• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Droopy eyelids
• Slowed or slurred speech
• Difficulty swallowing
• Dry mouth
• Muscle weakness

In infants with botulism the symptoms include:

• Poor feeding habits
• Constipation
• Weak crying
• Lethargy
• Poor muscle tone

If these symptoms are untreated, they may lead to paralysis of the arms, legs, trunk, and respiratory muscles. Symptoms of foodborne botulism usually develop 18 to 36 hours after consuming contaminated food, but symptoms can occur as early as six hours or as late as a week to 10 days.

Food Poisoning - How Was Diagnosis Established

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