Emma Radebaugh
Bacteria live in humid environments and survive for long periods of time. When some producers of certain food items use contaminated sources to water their products, small organisms can transfer to those products and contaminate them.
Knowing where the water comes from is the first step to avoiding this contamination, but even then, it is hard to protect yourself completely. Learn about the different types of dangerous bacteria in food that could take you to the hospital. Food poisoning is common, but that doesn’t make it any less risky.
Listeria Monocytogenes
Commonly known as listeria, this bacterium causes diarrhea, sore muscles, and fever. You can usually find it in raw milk products, raw fruits that have been washed with contaminated water, and seafood. It’s hard to know when a product will contain bacteria, which is why developing washing routines and practicing routine cleanliness is crucial to avoid problems and long recuperation times.
Salmonella Enterica
Salmonella can cause stomach cramps, fever, and diarrhea. Most bacteria cause the same symptoms because your body is trying to fight infection to the best of its abilities. You can commonly find salmonella in animal products such as chicken, beef, vegetables, and fruits. Certain animals coexist with this type of bacteria, which they carry on their skin, and coming in contact with them could be dangerous. Animals such as baby birds, reptiles, turtles, and snakes are all known to carry salmonella.
Escherichia Coli
This is one of the strongest bacteria in the environment, and contacting it could cause severe problems. Symptoms include diarrhea with blood, high fever, stomach cramps, and vomiting. Different problems could evolve if E.coli goes untreated, which could grow into worse situations. This bacteria lives in the intestine of animals, so eating undercooked animal products could put you at risk.
Hepatitis A
This bacterium commonly lives in raw and undercooked seafood. It can provoke many different symptoms, which makes it easier to detect if you are sick with this bacterium. Symptoms include dark urine, muscle aches, fever, cramps, and diarrhea that could take up to 28 days to disappear, making for a very unpleasant experience. This bacteria can easily take you to the hospital, so be careful when eating seafood.
Staphylococcus Aureus
This type of bacteria could give you mild symptoms but evolve into something more complicated. Usually, it will last for no more than two days and could cause nausea, vomiting, and cramps. Depending on the levels you come in contact with, these symptoms could grow and become dangerous. People usually carry this bacterium on the skin and can contaminate everything they come in close contact with, so you should always wash your hands and food before eating.
