Staphylococcal Food Poisoning - Digestive Disorders - MSD Manual Consumer Version (2024)

IN THIS TOPIC

VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION

GET THE QUICK FACTS

Symptoms
Diagnosis
Prevention
Treatment

Topic Resources

3D Models (0)
Audios (0)
Calculators (0)
Images (1)

Staphylococci Bacteria
Lab Test (0)
Tables (0)
Videos (0)

Staphylococcal food poisoning results from eating food contaminated with toxins produced by certain types of staphylococci, resulting in diarrhea and vomiting.

This disorder can be caused by toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.
The toxins are found in contaminated foods.
Typical symptoms include severe nausea and vomiting starting about 30 minutes to 8 hours after the contaminated food is eaten.
The diagnosis usually is based on the person’s symptoms.
Careful food preparation is the best way to prevent food poisoning.
See Also
Does Evaporated Milk Go Bad? How Long Does It Last? - Does It Go Bad?
Treatment usually involves drinking plenty of fluids.

The staphylococci bacteria Staphylococcus aureus Infections Staphylococcus aureus is the most dangerous of all of the many common staphylococcal bacteria. These gram-positive, sphere-shaped (coccal) bacteria (see figure How Bacteria Shape Up)... read more grow in food, in which they produce toxins. Thus, staphylococcal food poisoning does not result from ingesting the bacteria but rather from ingesting the toxins made by the bacteria that are already present in the contaminated food. Typical contaminated foods include custard, cream-filled pastry, milk, processed meats, and fish. The bacteria are also present on the skin, so risk of an outbreak is high if food workers do not wash properly before touching food. The bacteria can multiply and produce toxins in foods that are undercooked or left at room temperature. Despite contamination, many foods have a normal taste and odor.

Symptoms of Staphylococcal Food Poisoning

Symptoms of staphylococcal food poisoning usually begin abruptly with severe nausea and vomiting starting about 30 minutes to 8 hours after the contaminated food is eaten. Other symptoms include abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and sometimes headache and fever. Severe fluid and electrolyte Overview of Electrolytes Well over half of the body's weight is made up of water. Doctors think about the body's water as being restricted to various spaces, called fluid compartments. The three main compartments are... read more loss may cause weakness and very low blood pressure (shock Shock Shock is a life-threatening condition in which blood flow to the organs is low, decreasing delivery of oxygen and thus causing organ damage and sometimes death. Blood pressure is usually low... read more ). Symptoms usually last for about a day, and recovery is usually complete.

Occasionally, staphylococcal food poisoning is fatal, especially in the very young, the very old, and people weakened by long-term illness.

Diagnosis of Staphylococcal Food Poisoning

A doctor's evaluation
Sometimes laboratory tests of food

The symptoms are usually all a doctor needs to diagnose gastroenteritis Overview of Gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach and small and large intestines. It is usually caused by infection with a microorganism but can also be caused by ingestion of chemical... read more (inflammation of the lining of the stomach and small and large intestines).

A more specific diagnosis of staphylococcal food poisoning may be suspected when other people who ate the same food are similarly affected and when the disorder can be traced to a single source of contamination. To confirm the diagnosis, a laboratory must identify staphylococci in the suspected food, but this testing is not usually done because the results do not change treatment.

Prevention of Staphylococcal Food Poisoning

Proper food preparation and handling

Careful food preparation can prevent staphylococcal food poisoning. Anyone who has a skin infection should not prepare food for others until the infection heals. Food should be consumed immediately or refrigerated and not kept at room temperature.

Treatment of Staphylococcal Food Poisoning

Fluids
Sometimes drugs to control nausea and vomiting
Sometimes fluids by vein

Treatment of staphylococcal food poisoning usually consists of drinking an adequate amount of fluids. A doctor may give an antinausea drug, either as an injection or as a suppository, to help control severe nausea and vomiting. Sometimes so much fluid is lost that fluids have to be given by vein (intravenously).

NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION

VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION

Test your knowledge

Take a Quiz!

Brought to you by Merck & Co, Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (known as MSD outside the US and Canada)—dedicated to using leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. Learn more about the Merck Manuals and our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge.