Why restaurant foods cause diarrhea?

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Many enjoy eating outside in restaurants and fast food chains, yet ending up with diarrhea can be an annoying and uncomfortable experience. Diarrhea is characterized as loose, frequent and watery stools that contain more water, salts and minerals than normal stools. Eating restaurant foods can increase the risk for developing diarrhea especially if these foods are contaminated with bacteria, parasites or viruses. A doctor must be consulted why restaurant food can cause diarrhea. You can register for first aid training so that you can learn ways to help ease the symptoms.

E. coli

The consumption of restaurant foods that contain strains of E. coli can cause diarrhea. Take note that Escherichia coli or E. coli typically reside in the intestines but some strains can instigate blood-streaked diarrhea, kidney failure and even death.

Diarrhea
Salmonella is a common bacterial infection that develops due to contaminated water or food and affects the digestive tract with symptoms that include abdominal cramping and diarrhea which occurs within 72 hours after ingestion.

A weakened immune system increases the risk for developing complications from the infection. The usual foods that are served in restaurants that might contain E. coli include vegetables, fruits, dairy and meat, particularly those that are unpasteurized, raw or contaminated with dirty utensils, hands or surfaces. The recovery period from an E. coli infection without treatment will take 5-10 days. The doctor will prescribe an antibiotic in severe cases.

Salmonella

It is important to note salmonella is a common bacterial infection that develops due to contaminated water or food and affects the digestive tract with symptoms that include abdominal cramping and diarrhea which occurs within 72 hours after ingestion.

Even though many typically recover within a few days without any treatment, diarrhea can cause dehydration and requires immediate medical care. Remember that the complications can be life-threatening if the infection spreads beyond the intestines. The risk for salmonella infection is heightened when the individual travels to countries with poor sanitation or consumption of foods in restaurants with poor hygienic measures. The commonly infected foods include vegetables, fruits, raw meat, raw eggs, seafood and poultry.

Trichinosis

Trichinosis or trichinellosis is basically an infection triggered by roundworms. These are parasites that utilize the body to stay alive and reproduce. This condition occurs once the individual eats undercooked meat that contains larvae. The larvae matures into adult worms in the intestines and responsible for causing abdominal cramps, diarrhea and malaise. The larvae can easily migrate to other parts of the body and trigger inflammation of the body organs and tissues.

Norovirus

Noroviruses are considered as the leading cause of food-borne disease outbreaks. The noroviruses causes inflammation in the digestive tract, stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting. An infection from norovirus is considered highly contagious and can spread in restaurants through food or water such as ready-to-eat produce and raw shellfish. This is why it is important to be careful when eating outside since you never know if the foods prepared where contaminated.

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