Tips for Avoiding Foodborne Illness

Michelle Bever, Executive Director, South Heartland District Health Department

HASTINGS, Neb. - With the arrival of summer, the health department is noticing more cases of foodborne illness reported in our health district of Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster counties. 

Foodborne illnesses are illnesses that can be caused by consuming contaminated foods or beverages. There are many different foodborne illnesses because there are many different organisms that can contaminate food – including types of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Some of these organisms also can infect us through recreational water or drinking water, from contact with animals or their environment, or through person-to-person spread. 

Four illnesses we are seeing now are Rotavirus, Norovirus, Campylobacter, and Salmonella. The first two are caused by viruses and the second two are caused by bacteria. Over the past 2 months (May/June) we’ve noted a 5% increase in reported Rotavirus infections, a 7% increase in reported Norovirus cases, and an 8% increase in reported Campylobacter infections compared to the previous 2 months (March/April). Here’s a little bit of information about each of these illnesses: 

Rotavirus:  is a virus that can cause severe diarrhea. Other symptoms include fever, upset stomach and vomiting. Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in infants and young children in the United States. It is usually spread from hands to mouth and is highly contagious. Children can spread rotavirus both before and after they have symptoms. Contaminated hands, toys, and other objects may transmit the virus from an infected child or caregiver to another person. Any food can be contaminated with rotavirus if an infected person touches the food.  

Norovirus is another highly contagious virus. Norovirus infection causes gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines). This leads to diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Norovirus illness can make you feel extremely sick with diarrhea and vomiting many times a day. Some people may get severely dehydrated, especially young children, the elderly, and people with other illnesses. It only takes a very small amount of norovirus particles (fewer than 100) to make you sick and people with norovirus illness shed billions of virus particles in their stool and vomit and can easily infect others. Norovirus can spread quickly in places like daycare centers, nursing homes, schools, and cruise ships. 

Salmonella and Campylobacter are bacteria found in cows, chickens and other birds and animals – which means animal products can be contaminated, including beef, poultry, milk, and eggs. In addition, soil containing feces from cows or birds can contaminate fruits and vegetables and can contaminate lakes and streams from run off.  When you eat contaminated food or ingest contaminated water, the bacteria will grow and multiply in your intestines and can cause gastroenteritis.  

Symptoms of salmonella infection are usually a sudden onset of diarrhea (sometime blood-tinged), abdominal cramps, fever, and occasionally nausea and vomiting. 

People with Campylobacter infection usually have diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and abdominal cramps. The diarrhea may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Campylobacter is one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness in the United States.  

So – although they are caused by different organisms, all 4 are diarrheal illnesses and are often accompanied by other gastrointestinal symptoms. And the symptoms can be severe: according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick from contaminated food or beverages, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases (“food poisoning”).   

Prevention is key!  Here are 5 tips to prevent spreading of these viruses and bacteria: 

  1. Practice proper hand hygiene. Always wash your hands carefully with soap and water— 
    • After using the toilet and changing diapers, and 
    • Before eating, preparing, or handling food. 
  2. Wash fruits and vegetables and cook seafood and meats thoroughly. 
    • Carefully wash fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating them. 
    • Keep sick infants and children out of areas where food is being handled and prepared. 
  3. When you are sick, do not prepare food or care for others. 
    • You should not prepare food for others or provide healthcare while you are sick and for at least 2 to 3 days after you recover. This also applies to sick workers in schools, daycares, and other places where they may expose people. 
  4. Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces. 
    • After throwing up or having diarrhea, immediately clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces. Use a chlorine bleach solution with a concentration of 1000–5000 ppm (5–25 tablespoons of household bleach [5.25%] per gallon of water) or other disinfectant registered as effective against norovirus by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 
  5. Wash laundry thoroughly 
    • Immediately remove and wash clothes or linens that may be contaminated with vomit or stool (feces). 

Also, it’s important to know there are 2 vaccine products for Rotavirus that are very effective in preventing Rotavirus illness in infants and young children – so make sure your young ones are up to date on their vaccines! 

The CDC has 4 additional tips to follow to help us keep our food safe: Clean (hands, fresh fruits/veggies and surfaces), Separate (don’t cross-contaminate), Cook (to a temperature high enough to kill germs that can make you sick), and Chill (refrigerate promptly so that bacteria don’t multiply). 

Remembering and practicing these prevention steps can help keep food safe and can reduce spread of bacteria and viruses that cause foodborne illnesses. Help keep yourself and your loved ones healthy this summer! 

For more information about food safety and handling, visit http://www.foodsafety.gov or cdc.gov or contact your local health department http://www.southheartlandhealth.ne.gov. 

Michele Bever, PhD, MPH, is the executive director for South Heartland District Health Department, serving Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster Counties in south central Nebraska.  She may be reached at 402-462-6211 or toll free at 1-877-238-7595.