Food poisoning and infectious diseases

Last Updated: 3 April 2024

Public Health England usually notify us of confirmed cases of food poisoning and infectious diseases. To prevent the spread of the illness our environmental health officers may decide to investigate.

We will try to contact the person(s) with the symptoms to discuss where and what they have eaten over the three days prior to you feeling ill, whether they have recently been abroad and whether their GP has taken a faecal sample.

If we can link your illness with another case in the area, we will visit suspect premises.

However, with only one case it is hard to prove any particular premises to be at fault. A large number of food poisonings are thought to occur in the home.

If you suspect you have food poisoning the table below may help you identify the cause of your symptoms.

Infectious disease symptoms
Bacteria	Source and transmission	Symptoms	Onset period	Recovery
Salmonella	raw and undercooked food, particularly meat, poultry and eggs occasionally occurs through person to person contact utensils, work surfaces and hands	diarrhoea nausea vomiting stomach pain/cramps high temperature headache malaise	12 to 72 hours	1 to 7 days
Campylobacter	contaminated food, milk or water exposure to infected farm animals or pets person to person spread is unusual but occasionally occurs within a household	diarrhoea stomach pains sickness high temperature	Usually 2 to 5 days	1 to 3 weeks
E.coli	contaminated foodstuffs; beef and beef products, milk or raw vegetables another person by direct contact, especially in nurseries, infant schools and households contact with infected animals untreated drinking water	diarrhoea (blood and mucus) More severe symptoms may develop in some cases: abdominal pain raised temperature shivering	1 to 6 days	1 to 2 weeks
Rotavirus	faecal oral route spreads easily among infants by contaminated hands, toys, food and water	vomiting diarrhoea stomach cramps occasional fever and convulsions	1 to 5 days	4 to 6 days
Cryptosporidium	can spread by animal to human or human to human contact exposure to contaminated water or land consumption of contaminated water and food contact with infected animals public water supplies and contaminated food frequently associated with foreign travel Faecal oral transmission	watery diarrhoea which can range from mild to severe	2 to 10 days	Up to 4 weeks
Giardia	faecal oral in young children direct contact with infected animals and humans consumption of water, food or drinks contaminated by the faeces of infected humans or animals many cases are associated with recent foreign travel	diarrhoea abdominal cramps	5 to 25 days	1 to 3 weeks
Norovirus	person to person by the faecal oral route contaminated food and water also risk of infections from aerosols and projectile vomit	vomiting diarrhoea fever	24 to 48 hours	1 to 3 days
Dysentery/Shigella	water contaminated by human faeces eating food washed with contaminated water faecal oral	diarrhoea sometimes with blood and mucus	1 to 7 days	5 to 7 days
Typhoid and paratyphoid	eating or drinking heavily contaminated food or water person to person contact after hands become contaminated almost all cases are acquired abroad	fever abdominal discomfort constipation rashes	7 to 14 days Can be as long as 30 days in some cases	Usually 3 to 4 weeks

Most food poisoning bacteria does not cause illness until 12 to 36 hours after they have entered the body. Some illnesses can take up to seven days before you show any symptoms.

NHS: Food poisoning advice

Reporting food poisoning

If you suspect you are suffering food poisoning it is recommended that you visit your doctor as soon as possible, who might ask you to submit a sample for examination.

Speak to your doctor immediately if:

the person affected is a baby or elderly
the person affected has an existing illness or condition
symptoms are prolonged or severe (for example, bloody diarrhoea)

If you or a family member are suffering from the symptoms of food poisoning:

wash your hands after contact with the sick person, and before handling food
do not use the same towel or face cloth
clear up soiling accidents straightaway, wash with hot soapy water and disinfect with a disinfectant or bleach
disinfect door and toilet handles, taps and the toilet seat after use and disinfect the toilet bowl frequently
drink plenty of fluids while you are ill to prevent dehydration

If they are a food handler or health care/nursery worker who has contact with food, they should not return to work until they are symptom free for 48 hours. They must also tell their employer about their symptoms.

Parents or guardians are advised to keep children away from school or other establishments until they have been symptom free for 48 hours.

Outbreaks

The evidence we collect gives us a better chance of identifying where an outbreak came from. We can then take steps to limit the outbreak and consider what further action to take.

With institutional outbreaks we try to work to limit the spread of infection. In schools and nurseries this means making sure no children attend who are still suffering from symptoms. In nursing and care homes have appropriate isolation practices in place.

Institutions should have their own outbreak control plan. In these premises two or more cases of illness qualifies as an outbreak.

Preventing food poisoning

The following tips will help to reduce the risk of food poisoning at home:

defrost food thoroughly before cooking
ensure reheated food is piping hot
cover raw meat and store it at the bottom of the fridge to avoid it touching or dripping onto other foods
wash salad before eating it
avoid drinking untreated water
clean work surfaces, utensils, chopping boards and cloths thoroughly
wash hands with hot soapy water to prevent contamination. Hand washing tips
keep pets away from the kitchen when preparing food
keep your fridge under 5 degrees centigrade

Not all infectious diseases are caused by contaminated food. The cause of many infectious diseases are viruses that often have the similar symptoms to food poisoning.

Norovirus

Norovirus, also known as the Winter Vomiting Bug, is the most common stomach bug in the UK, but is not caused by contaminated food. It is transmitted by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, close contact with an infected person or the consumption of food handled by an infected person who has not washed their hands.

Water borne infections

During flooding there may be risks of ill health due to water borne infection. Public Health England provide advice on what to do to cut the risks.

Guidance is also available regarding private water supplies.

Flooded private wells will need to be tested and disinfected after flood waters have receded.

Farm visits

Cases of intestinal illness associated with contact with animals peak in spring and summer when visits to petting farms are popular.

You should take extreme precautions when dealing with petting animals especially where children are involved.

If you are responsible for a business premises and are planning an open day you should let our Public Health and Licensing Group know. We can give advice and information to reduce the risk of an outbreak, our contact details are listed below.

Health and Safety Executive: Zoonoses
Zoonotic diseases: guidance, data and analysis
How to reduce the risk of infection during farm visits
Industry code of practice on preventing or controlling ill health from animal contact visitor attractions

Contact details:

Contact: Public Protection
Email: publicprotection@southlakeland.gov.uk
Telephone: 01539 733 333
Address: South Lakeland House, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4DQ