Final answer:
Foodborne illnesses typically cause nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea, with severe cases potentially leading to long-term health problems. Prevention involves proper food safety practices, and individuals with severe symptoms should seek medical attention, especially those in high-risk groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
The common symptoms of foodborne illness typically involve gastrointestinal disturbances, which may include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. While most people experience only mild and short-lived effects, these illnesses can sometimes escalate to more severe and even life-threatening conditions. The accountable agents such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites may lead to long-term complications including chronic arthritis, brain and nerve damage, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can result in kidney failure.
These symptoms manifest during what is known as the incubation period, which can vary from a few hours to several days after consuming contaminated food. The duration of the incubation period is dependent on the type of germ; for example, toxins often cause symptoms more rapidly than microorganisms. More severe microbial infections may cause symptoms like fever, aches, and in some cases, may result in repeated bouts of vomiting, with microbes potentially passing through the stomach into the intestine and multiplying, leading to persistent infection.
To avoid the risks of foodborne disease, it's important to follow food safety practices like keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold, washing hands before handling food, cooking meats and eggs thoroughly, and refrigerating cooked foods promptly. If symptoms become severe or persistent, seeing a healthcare provider is recommended, particularly for individuals who are at higher risk, such as pregnant women, young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.