Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning is a gastrointestinal illness caused by ingesting a bacterium called Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This organism originates from the family of bacteria responsible for cholera. Vibrio parahaemolyticus needs salt water to live, and it exists in the waters, fish, and shellfish off the coast of Canada and the United States. The presence of this organism, as well as the food poisoning caused from it, increases in the warm summer months. About 4500 people become infected by Vibrio parahaemolyticus annually in the United States.
Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Food Poisoning
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Sigma Nursing answeredVibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning is caused by a bacterium called Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This organism naturally exists in the salt waters, fish, and shellfish off the coast of the Canada and United States. An individual typically gets infected by consuming raw or improperly cooked food that is infected with the bacteria, like fish or shellfish and especially oysters. The bacterium causes illness when it binds to a person's small intestine and discharges a poison.
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Symptoms of Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning usually begin within 24 hours of consuming the organism. Infected individuals can experience diarrhea, abdominal cramping, headache, upset stomach, vomiting, chills, and fever. The illness typically lasts about three days. It is generally not severe enough to require hospitalization unless the infected person has a weak immune system.
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Sigma Nursing answeredVibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning can affect the body in many ways. When ingested, the vibrio parahaemolyticus bacterium attaches to an individual's small intestine and discharges a poison that affects the gastrointestinal system. An infected person can experience diarrhea, stomach cramps, headache, upset stomach, vomiting, chills, and fever. The illness typically lasts about three days. It can also cause a skin infection when if you have an open wound that is exposed to warm seawater.
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Sigma Nursing answered
You increase your risk for Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning by eating raw or improperly cooked seafood, especially oysters. Since the Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacterium thrives in warm, salty coastal waters and in the seafood of those waters, you additionally increase your risk of infection during the warm months of the year. If you inadequately refrigerate saltwater fish and shellfish, you also increase your risk of infection.
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A doctor may suspect Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning after an evaluation of symptoms. Infected individuals may experience symptoms of diarrhea, stomach cramps, headache, upset stomach, vomiting, chills, and fever. A doctor will typically consider Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning if a person has diarrhea that is watery, and the person has consumed raw or improperly cooked seafood, particularly oysters. To confirm diagnosis, a doctor will collect a stool specimen or a blood sample and test to see if the samples indicate that the bacteria are present.
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The majority of cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning are not severe and do not require a doctor's treatment. The illness typically lasts about three days, and little evidence shows that antibiotics lessen its potency or duration. However, if your symptoms persist or you have a weak immune system, diabetes, liver disease, ulcer, or other condition that might put you at risk for a serious infection, you should talk to your doctor.
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There are some treatment options that may help reduce the symptoms of Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning even if medication isn't necessary. Individuals who experience diarrhea should drink lots of fluids to replace those lost by the body. While most infections are mild or moderate, if the infection is severe or persists for a long period, some doctors may prescribe an antibiotic, such as tetracycline, to treat the illness.
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Sigma Nursing answered
A common medication used to treat severe Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning is the antibiotic tetracycline. Another antibiotic medication often administered in these cases is ciprofloxicin. Each of these medications works by targeting and killing the underlying Vibrio parahaemolyticus causing your symptoms, and may be administered orally or as an injection. Antibiotics must be taken until the bacteria are discarded out of the body, and they may produce side effects. Therefore, it is important to follow the doctor's recommendations when taking antibiotics.
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There are other treatment options to consider for Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning. Getting bed rest is an effective option for dealing with some of the symptoms of this illness. As symptoms decrease, slowly add solid food to your diet, starting with mild foods such as gelatin, applesauce, and toast.