Food poisoning, or more severely Gastroenteritis, can cause milt to severe symptoms, which occasionally in vulnerable groups, such as babies, infants and elderly, can be potentially severe and even fatal. Caused by bacteria or viruses from poorly prepared, contaminated, rotten or badly cleaned food.

Signs and Symptoms

• Vomiting: starts with usual stomach contents of undigested food but if vomiting persists may become green and less viscous, with mucous and clear slime
• Skin looks pale, particularly before vomiting or diarrhoea
• Abdominal pain and cramps
• Diarrhoea with faeces which are runny, watery and loose: these above two symptoms are actually far more common in bouts of food poisoning than vomiting
• May be headache
• May be joint and muscle pain
• May be an associated fever
• In severe cases, may be collapse caused by dehydration

Most bouts of food poisoning and gastroenteritis will resolve in the young healthy adults, usually 24 to 36 hours.