2024-01-10 15:05:06
The time it takes for symptoms to appear in detail
If the symptoms are not specific, it is undoubtedly the temporality which can point to gastroenteritis or food poisoning. The latter occurs shortly after a meal. “It is probably the rapidity of the onset of the first symptoms, i.e. one hour after ingestion, which most often indicates poisoning,” specifies the Swiss Tour hospital.
So, while the incubation period for gastroenteritis is at least 24 hours, symptoms of food poisoning appear within hours of consuming the contaminated food. Thus, “if the symptoms persist for more than a day after ingestion of the suspected food, there is a good chance that it is gastroenteritis”, launches the Pasteur Institute.
Several sick people?
Another sign that speaks in favor of food poisoning: the fact that several people present gastrointestinal symptoms one to a few hours after the same meal. If several people are actually affected, the contaminated food route should be favored.
Suggestive symptoms
A particular symptom can point to gastroenteritis. According to the Pasteur Institute in Lille, fever is in fact more common in this disease than in cases of food poisoning.
In addition, the presence of mucus and blood in the stools “should suggest food poisoning with bacteria capable of attacking the wall of the intestine (‘invasive bacteria’), which will require the prescription of an antibiotic,” notes the specialized site Fréquences Officines.
Duration of symptoms
The duration of symptoms can also be suggestive. The symptoms of gastroenteritis generally persist longer than those of food poisoning, which often disappear within 12 to 24 hours. “If the symptoms persist for more than a day after ingestion of the suspected food, there is a good chance that it is viral gastroenteritis,” confirms the Pasteur Institute of Lille.
What support ?
Gastroenteritis or food poisoning, the important thing is to avoid dehydration, especially in fragile people. You should also adapt your diet. “Drink plenty of fluids, favor starchy foods like rice, avoid dairy products, meat, spicy dishes, sugar or fat,” summarizes the Tour hospital. A consultation is necessary for children under two years old and when symptoms persist for more than two days or intensify.
Poisoning by the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum (responsible for botulism), which affects the nervous system, is potentially fatal, and constitutes a medical emergency. If the food in question is a fungus, you should also seek emergency advice.
Note: “In 2021, 1,309 collective food poisoning infections were declared in France, affecting 11,056 people, of whom 512 (5%) presented themselves at the hospital (hospitalization or emergency department) and 16 (0. 14%) died,” according to Public Health France which adds that Salmonella was the pathogen most often found. Food poisoning is rarely serious but complications can occur in people at risk such as children, the elderly and pregnant women.
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