Chicken food poisoning

Food poisoning is dangerous because it leads to disruption of the body's vital functions, and sometimes even to death. This happens due to the ingestion of food contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Chicken meat is very susceptible to such threats, and given its availability and excellent taste, it often provokes outbreaks of mass poisoning. [ 1 ]

Epidemiology

Even those poisonings in schools, kindergartens, and public catering establishments that make it into the media testify to the scale of this phenomenon. Adding to them unpublished facts, isolated ones that occurred behind closed doors of apartments and private homes, a sad picture of infections emerges.

Chicken meat also plays a significant role in these statistics as a source of intoxication.

Cases of poisoning have become especially frequent since the abolition of the sanitary and epidemiological service of our country in 2014.

Causes chicken poisoning

The shelf life of chicken is 36 hours at +4ºС or 24 hours at +7ºС. When buying in supermarkets, it is reasonable to check the expiration dates (although there are known cases of fraud - re-sticking labels). The most common cause of poisoning is unsuitability of meat for consumption due to its rottenness, as well as insufficient roasting. [ 2 ] The immediate "culprits" of this are:

• salmonella – the chicken was originally contaminated with it; [ 3 ], [ 4 ], [ 5 ]
• staphylococci are bacteria that affect meat when stored improperly or when introduced into it by dirty hands; [ 6 ], [ 7 ]
• Antibiotics and other additives are fed to poultry on poultry farms to prevent diseases and to accelerate the growth of the individual.

Most raw chicken contains Campylobacter.[ 8 ],[ 9 ] It may also contain Clostridium perfringens[ 10 ],[ 11 ] and other bacteria. Raw meat may contain E. coli,[ 12 ] Yersinia[ 13 ],[ 14 ] and other bacteria.

Risk factors

For people who eat chicken, the summer period is dangerous. When going on picnics, people most often take it with them, because it cooks quickly on a fire, is soft, juicy and tasty. Another risk factor is the presence of fried meat outside the refrigerator, because not everything on the tables is eaten at once.

Pathogenesis

Food poisoning is caused by pathogens that multiply and release toxins both in the meat itself and when they enter a person. They are poisoned by boiled, smoked, undercooked, grilled brown, and raw, if you do not wash your hands after contact with it. All manifestations of poisoning are associated with the body's response to a toxic attack. The disease is characterized by a short incubation period (about an hour), an acute initial and a stormy subsequent one.

Symptoms chicken poisoning

The clinical picture largely depends on the type of pathogen. Thus, the first signs of staphylococcal infection are nausea, vomiting, cutting pain in the epigastrium and navel area. The nature of the stool does not change, but dizziness, muscle weakness, loss of strength, cyanosis of the skin, convulsions, loss of consciousness may appear. [ 15 ]

Other infections may be accompanied by loose stools, even the appearance of blood fragments in the feces, their foul odor, high temperature, fever.

Complications and consequences

As with any poisoning, adverse effects and complications from chicken poisoning occur if the patient is not provided with timely assistance and dehydration occurs. It is fraught with disruption of the functions of human systems and organs due to the inability to carry out metabolic processes, and the loss of 20% of fluid leads to death. [ 16 ]

Diagnostics chicken poisoning

Diagnosis is made on the basis of the patient’s complaints, epidemiological studies (an isolated case or an outbreak of the disease), and the route of infection is determined.

The final diagnosis is made on the basis of laboratory tests, namely bacteriological culture of vomit, feces. It cannot be done without a general blood test, urine and other tests if necessary. [ 17 ]

Instrumental diagnostics may be needed to determine the degree of damage to other organs (liver, kidneys, heart), including ultrasound, electrocardiogram. [ 18 ]

To differentiate poisoning, it is necessary to determine the type of pathogen.

Treatment chicken poisoning

The main treatment for chicken poisoning is to remove the toxin from the body. This is done by washing the stomach until the rinsing water is clear, drinking plenty of saline solutions, hot sweet tea, taking enterosorbents, and, if necessary, antibiotics. [ 19 ]

Properly organized nutrition plays a positive role in the acute period. The menu should consist of soups, lean meat broths, porridges, mashed potatoes, boiled lean meat and fish, kissels, biscuits, and crackers.

To restore digestive function, it is necessary to use enzyme preparations.

Medicines

To replenish fluid loss, the patient is given small portions to drink or the following mixture is administered through a nasogastric tube: 20 g of glucose, 2.5 g of baking soda, 1.5 g of potassium chloride and 3.5 g of table salt per liter of water. Intravenous administration of saline solutions is also possible: Quartasol, Disol, Acesol. [ 20 ]

Activated carbon, smecta, polysorb, and enterosgel are used as enterosorbents.

Enterosgel - is produced in the form of a paste or hydrogel, packaged in a tube. A detoxifying drug for removing toxins, viruses, and bacteria from the body. When combined with other drugs, a time distance of 1.5-2 hours must be observed.

Take 3 times a day, between meals. Single dose for children under 5 years old is a teaspoon (up to 2 years old can be mixed with water), 5-14 years old - dessert, older - tablespoon. The course of treatment is 7-14 days.

The drug may cause constipation. Contraindication is acute intestinal obstruction.

A complicated form of the disease requires the use of antimicrobial drugs aimed at the identified type of pathogenic organisms. This may be levomycetin, polymyxin-m-sulfate, ampicillin.

Polymyxin-m-sulfate - the activity of the drug is determined biologically and is expressed in action units (AU), 1 mg contains 8000 AU. For children 3-4 years old, the recommended daily dose is 100,000 AU per kilogram of body weight, 5-7 years old - 1,400,000 AU, 8-10 years old - 1,600,000 AU, 11-14 years old - 2,000,000 AU, after this age 3,000,000 AU, divided into 3-4 doses. The duration of treatment is 5-10 days, after a four-day break it can be repeated.

Long-term use may have a negative effect on the kidneys; their pathology prohibits the use of the drug.

The enzymes pancreatin, festal, and pepsin help to improve the digestive process.

Pepsin is a replacement therapy drug, tablets are taken 2 pieces 3-4 times a day, previously dissolved in 0.5 glass of water. It is not used in pediatric practice, since there are no trials for this group of patients.

It is not prescribed for hyperacid gastritis, erosive gastritis, ulcers, as well as increased sensitivity to its components. Nausea, constipation, allergic reactions are rarely possible.

Lactobacterin, bificol, and bifidumbacterin help restore intestinal microflora.

Bificol is an antidiarrheal drug containing live strains of bifidobacteria and E. coli. It can be used from the age of six months. The powder should be diluted in boiled water in a 1:1 ratio (a spoonful of the drug per spoonful of liquid), drink 20-30 minutes before meals.

The daily dose varies for different ages:

• 6-12 months – 2-3 teaspoons;
• 1-3 years – 3-5 (tsp);
• 3-5 years – 5-6 (tsp);
• 5-10 years – 6-8 (tsp);
• children over 10 years old – 8-10 (tsp);
• adults – 10-15 doses.

The resulting mixture is divided into 2-3 doses. The therapy can last from 2 weeks to 2 months. After two weeks of treatment, the volume of the drug can be halved and reduced to one dose. Contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to it. [ 21 ]

Vitamins

It is important to support the body that has suffered from poisoning with vitamins. With the loss of fluid, substances useful for life also disappear. After the symptoms have been eliminated, it is necessary to replenish the supply of vitamin A, since it prevents infectious diseases, vitamin C strengthens the immune system, vitamin B1 is useful for the intestines, vitamin PP normalizes the synthesis of gastric juice, vitamin B12 improves metabolism, folic acid relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane of the digestive organs.

It is necessary to take care of products containing these useful components, and also resort to vitamin complexes.

Physiotherapy treatment

Of the available physiotherapeutic methods for food poisoning, treatment with mineral water is used. It is prescribed by a doctor in the absence of vomiting to replenish fluid loss, eliminate toxins, and restore blood acidity. Alkaline water "Borjomi", "Essentuki", "Polyana kvasova", "Luzhanskaya" is usually recommended.

Folk remedies

If chicken poisoning is not too complicated and there is no threat to life, you can use folk remedies. The stomach is washed with salt water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

The patient's condition can be improved by a solution: a liter of boiled water, a teaspoon of salt and soda, 8 spoons of sugar, drunk in 3 doses.

You can chew 3-4 black peppercorns, this will have a detrimental effect on pathogenic organisms and disinfect the digestive organs.

Herbal treatment

There are many herbs in nature that can cope with poisoning. Celery root has a good effect: juice is obtained from fresh (1-2 small spoons before meals), an infusion is made from dried (2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials per glass of water, take a third of a glass three times a day).

They also drink decoctions of chamomile, [ 22 ] lemon balm, St. John's wort, mint, and plantain.

Homeopathy

In pharmacies in our country you can find homeopathic medicines that can combat food poisoning:

• amarin - antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, pain-relieving drops; not used for children under 11 years of age, people with gastric and intestinal ulcers. The drops are diluted in a small amount of water, the dose for adults is 10-20 drops per dose, for children - 10. The frequency of administration per day is 3 times. May cause allergic reactions;
• enterokind is a viscous liquid, intended for children from birth to 6 years of age for intestinal disorders. Acute conditions require taking 3 drops every hour, but no more than 6 times, with a weakening of symptoms - 3 times a day;
• Natrium chloratum Dr. Schuessler salt No. 8 – regulates acid-water balance, has no age restrictions: dose up to one year – 1 tablet 1-2 times a day (dissolve in water), 1-5 years – 1-3 times, 6-11 years 1-4 times, older – up to 6 times. Supersensitivity reactions are possible. Contraindicated in patients with lactose intolerance.

For meat poisoning, homeopaths prescribe Arsenicum album, Carbo vegetabilis, and Pulsatilla.

Forecast

In the vast majority of cases, the prognosis for chicken poisoning is favorable. If septic complications develop, a fatal outcome is possible.