question: what happens during food poisoning ? How long does it take for the body to notice and what is its « strategy » to fight it ?
comment: The body only has so many ways to purge the stomach and intestines when it detects the bacteria that causes food poisoning. It has to purge. The problem is if the bacteria is extensive, you could die of dehydration or malnourishment. But nobody dies from food poisoning very often. Your body digests you food in about a half hour. So you'll probably notice it around then. Starts wuth a stomach ache. Body realizes there's an intruder. Starts trying to purge
passages: Symptoms often include vomiting, fever, and aches, and may include diarrhea. Bouts of vomiting can be repeated with an extended delay in between, because even if infected food was eliminated from the stomach in the first bout, microbes, like bacteria, (if applicable) can pass through the stomach into the intestine and begin to multiply. Some types of microbes stay in the intestine, some produce a toxin that is absorbed into the bloodstream, and some can directly invade deeper body tissues.
  
  Section::::Causes.
   Symptoms typically occur within 10–30 minutes of ingesting the fish and generally are self-limited. People with asthma are more vulnerable to respiratory problems such as wheezing or bronchospasms. However, symptoms may show over two hours after eating a spoiled dish. They usually last for about 10 to 14 hours, and rarely exceed one to two days.
  
  Section::::Signs and symptoms.:Initial.
  
  The first signs of poisoning suggest an allergic reaction with the following symptoms:
  
  BULLET::::- facial flushing/sweating
  
  BULLET::::- burning-peppery taste sensations in the mouth and throat
  
  BULLET::::- dizziness
  
  BULLET::::- nausea
  
  BULLET::::- headache
  
  BULLET::::- tachycardia
  
  BULLET::::- cold-like symptoms
  
  Section::::Signs and symptoms.:Additional symptoms.
   Treatment is in the form of supportive care. If there is light-headedness, a person should lie with feet partly elevated. Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (H1 blockade) and ranitidine (H2 blockade) together with intravenous fluids may help with mild to moderate symptoms. Epinephrine combined with a steroid may be used for severe symptoms.
  
  Section::::History.
  
  The syndrome is named after the Scombridae family of fish, which includes mackerels, tunas and bonitos, because early descriptions of the illness noted an association with those species, although nonscombroid fish such as mahi-mahi and amberjack may also cause the condition.
  
  Section::::Epidemiology.
   The delay between the consumption of contaminated food and the appearance of the first symptoms of illness is called the incubation period. This ranges from hours to days (and rarely months or even years, such as in the case of listeriosis or bovine spongiform encephalopathy), depending on the agent, and on how much was consumed. If symptoms occur within one to six hours after eating the food, it suggests that it is caused by a bacterial toxin or a chemical rather than live bacteria.
   Scombroid food poisoning
  
  Scombroid food poisoning, also known as simple scombroid, is a foodborne illness that typically results from eating spoiled fish. Symptoms may include flushed skin, headache, itchiness, blurred vision, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Onset of symptoms is typically 10 to 60 minutes after eating and can last for up to two days. Rarely, breathing problems or an irregular heart beat may occur.
   Bacteria are a common cause of foodborne illness. In the United Kingdom during 2000, the individual bacteria involved were the following: "Campylobacter jejuni" 77.3%, "Salmonella" 20.9%, 1.4%, and all others less than 0.56%. In the past, bacterial infections were thought to be more prevalent because few places had the capability to test for norovirus and no active surveillance was being done for this particular agent. Toxins from bacterial infections are delayed because the bacteria need time to multiply. As a result, symptoms associated with intoxication are usually not seen until 12–72 hours or more after eating contaminated food. However, in some cases, such as Staphylococcal food poisoning, the onset of illness can be as soon as 30 minutes after ingesting contaminated food.
   In addition to disease caused by direct bacterial infection, some foodborne illnesses are caused by enterotoxins (exotoxins targeting the intestines). Enterotoxins can produce illness even when the microbes that produced them have been killed. Symptom appearance varies with the toxin but may be rapid in onset, as in the case of enterotoxins of "Staphylococcus aureus" in which symptoms appear in one to six hours. This causes intense vomiting including or not including diarrhea (resulting in staphylococcal enteritis), and staphylococcal enterotoxins (most commonly staphylococcal enterotoxin A but also including staphylococcal enterotoxin B) are the most commonly reported enterotoxins although cases of poisoning are likely underestimated. It occurs mainly in cooked and processed foods due to competition with other biota in raw foods, and humans are the main cause of contamination as a substantial percentage of humans are persistent carriers of "S. aureus". The CDC has estimated about 240,000 cases per year in the United States.
   The long incubation period of many foodborne illnesses tends to cause sufferers to attribute their symptoms to gastroenteritis.
  
  During the incubation period, microbes pass through the stomach into the intestine, attach to the cells lining the intestinal walls, and begin to multiply there. Some types of microbes stay in the intestine, some produce a toxin that is absorbed into the bloodstream, and some can directly invade the deeper body tissues. The symptoms produced depend on the type of microbe.
  
  Section::::Mechanism.:Infectious dose.
   The safe storage of food for home use should strictly adhere to guidelines set out by reliable sources, such as the United States Department of Agriculture. These guidelines have been thoroughly researched by scientists to determine the best methods for reducing the real threat of food poisoning from unsafe food storage. It is also important to maintain proper kitchen hygiene, to reduce risks of bacteria or virus growth and food poisoning. The common food poisoning illnesses include Listeriosis, Mycotoxicosis, Salmonellosis, E. coli, Staphylococcal food poisoning and Botulism. There are many other organisms that can also cause food poisoning.
   Prevention is by refrigerating or freezing fish right after it is caught. Treatment is generally with antihistamines such as diphenhydramine and ranitidine. Epinephrine may be used for severe symptoms. Along with ciguatera fish poisoning, it is one of the most common type of seafood poisoning. It occurs globally in both temperate and tropical waters. Only one death has been reported. The condition was first described in 1799.
  
  Section::::Signs and symptoms.
   Symptoms vary depending on the cause, and are described below in this article. A few broad generalizations can be made, e.g.: the incubation period ranges from hours to days, depending on the cause and on quantity of consumption. The incubation period tends to cause sufferers to not associate the symptoms with the item consumed, and so to cause sufferers to attribute the symptoms to gastroenteritis for example.
   Common symptoms of "Staphylococcus aureus" food poisoning include: a rapid onset which is usually 1–6 hours, nausea, explosive vomiting for up to 24 hours, abdominal cramps/pain, headache, weakness, diarrhea and usually a subnormal body temperature. Symptoms usually start one to six hours after eating and last less than 12 hours. The duration of some cases may take two or more days to fully resolve.
  
  Section::::Pathogenesis.
   Supportive care for botulism includes monitoring of respiratory function. Respiratory failure due to paralysis may require mechanical ventilation for 2 to 8 weeks, plus intensive medical and nursing care. After this time, paralysis generally improves as new neuromuscular connections are formed.
  
  In some abdominal cases, physicians may try to remove contaminated food still in the digestive tract by inducing vomiting or using enemas. Wounds should be treated, usually surgically, to remove the source of the toxin-producing bacteria.
  
  Section::::Treatment.:Antitoxin.
   Diagnosis is based on a person's symptoms together with having recently eaten fish. If a number of those who eat the same fish have symptoms the diagnosis becomes more likely. If some of the fish they had previously eaten is available this can also be tested to confirm the diagnosis. Other potential causes such as paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP), scombrotoxin fish poisoning, and pufferfish poisoning should be excluded.
  
  The reversal of hot and cold sensations is an occasional symptom of CFP that may help differentiate it from intestinal "flu".
  
  Section::::Treatment.
   Section::::Clinical signs and diagnosis.
  
  A sharp rise in mortality is often seen (depending on the virulence of the disease). Other clinical signs include abdominal swelling, anorexia, abnormal swimming, darkening of the skin, and trailing of the feces from the vent. On necropsy, internal damage (viral necrosis) to the pancreas and thick mucus in the intestines often is present. Surviving fish should recover within one to two weeks.
  
  Diagnostic methods for the detection of the disease include: characteristic histological pancreatic lesion, PCR, indirect fluorescent antibody testing, ELISA, and virus culture. High virus titers can be isolated from carrier animals.
   Section::::Causes.
   Food poisoning has been recognized as a disease since as early as Hippocrates. The sale of rancid, contaminated, or adulterated food was commonplace until the introduction of hygiene, refrigeration, and vermin controls in the 19th century. Discovery of techniques for killing bacteria using heat, and other microbiological studies by scientists such as Louis Pasteur, contributed to the modern sanitation standards that are ubiquitous in developed nations today. This was further underpinned by the work of Justus von Liebig, which led to the development of modern food storage and food preservation methods. In more recent years, a greater understanding of the causes of food-borne illnesses has led to the development of more systematic approaches such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), which can identify and eliminate many risks.
   Often, a combination of events contributes to an outbreak, for example, food might be left at room temperature for many hours, allowing bacteria to multiply which is compounded by inadequate cooking which results in a failure to kill the dangerously elevated bacterial levels.
   Section::::Clinical presentation in humans.
  
  Upon infection with "N. salmincola", humans are normally asymptomatic. If symptoms are present, they are usually non-specific and mistaken for indication of other gastrointestinal problems. Symptoms include “diarrhea, unexplained peripheral blood eosinophilia, abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, weight loss, and fatigue.” Eggs of "N. salmincola" appear in stools approximately one week after ingestion of infected fish.
  
  Section::::Pathology in dogs.
   Techniques that help prevent food borne illness in the kitchen are hand washing, rinsing produce, preventing cross-contamination, proper storage, and maintaining cooking temperatures. In general, freezing or refrigerating prevents virtually all bacteria from growing, and heating food sufficiently kills parasites, viruses, and most bacteria. Bacteria grow most rapidly at the range of temperatures between , called the "danger zone". Storing food below or above the "danger zone" can effectively limit the production of toxins. For storing leftovers, the food must be put in shallow containers
   Food-borne bacteria, in large enough numbers, may cause food poisoning, symptoms similar to gastroenteritis or "stomach flu" (a misnomer, as true influenza primarily affects the respiratory system). Some of the symptoms include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Food-borne illness becomes more dangerous in certain populations, such as people with weakened immune systems, young children, the elderly, and pregnant women. In Canada, there are approximately 11 million cases of food-borne disease per year. These symptoms can begin as early as shortly after and as late as weeks after consumption of the contaminated food.
   The incubation period of about 24 hours is followed by explosive, watery or bloody diarrhea accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and sometimes fever. Symptoms typically resolve within 72 hours, but can persist for up to 10 days in immunocompromised individuals. As the vast majority of cases of "V. parahaemolyticus" food infection are self-limiting, treatment is not typically necessary. In severe cases, fluid and electrolyte replacement is indicated.
  
  Section::::Epidemiology.
   The diagnosis of balantidiasis can be an intricate process, partly because the related symptoms may or may not be present. However, the diagnosis of balantidiasis can be considered when a patient has diarrhea combined with a probable history of current exposure to amebiasis through travel, contact with infected persons, or anal intercourse. In addition, the diagnosis of balantidiasis can be made by microscopic examination of stool or tissue samples.
  
  Section::::Prevention.
  
  Preventative measures require effective personal and community hygiene. Some specific safeguards include the following:
  
  BULLET::::- Purification of drinking water.
  
  BULLET::::- Proper handling of food.
  
  BULLET::::- Careful disposal of human feces.
   Excess protein is sometimes cited as the cause of this condition, however when meat and fat are consumed in the correct ratio, such as that found in pemmican (which is 50% fat by volume), the diet is considered nutritionally complete and can support humans for months or more. Other stressors, such as severe cold or a dry environment, may intensify symptoms or decrease time to onset. Symptoms include diarrhea, headache, fatigue, low blood pressure, slow heart rate, and a vague discomfort and hunger (very similar to a food craving) that can be satisfied only by the consumption of fat.
   Efforts to prevent the disease include the proper washing, preparation, and cooking of food. Mild disease typically does not require specific treatment. More significant cases may require treatment of electrolyte problems and intravenous fluid replacement. In those at high risk or in whom the disease has spread outside the intestines, antibiotics are recommended.
  