Incubation Periods and Symptoms

      

Common   Pathogens

Incubation PeriodS

Common                          Symptoms

◙   Bacillus Cereus

 

1-6 hrs (vomiting)               6-24 hrs (diarrhea)

Nausea and diarrhea. Typically resolves within 24 to 48 hours

◙   Campylobacter

 

     

2 to 7 days               (usually 3 to 5 days)

Diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal cramps, nausea and headaches. Typically resolves within 1 to 10 days

◙   C. Botulinum

 

 

12 to 72 hrs                 (usually 18 to 36 hrs)

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, dry mouth, double vision, muscle paralysis, respiratory failure. Duration is variable (days to months).

◙   C. Perfringins

 

 

8 to 22 hrs            (average is 12 hrs)

Diarrhea, abdominal cramps and vomiting; usually no fever. Typically resolves within 1 to 2 days.

◙   E. coli O157:H7

 

 

24+ hrs to 10 days (usually 3 to 4 days)

Diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal cramps and vomiting; usually no fever. HUS may develop in rare cases. Typically resolves within 1 to 8 days (in non-complicated cases)

◙   Hepatitis A

 

15 to 50 days        (average is 28 days)

Diarrhea, dark urine, jaundice and flu-like symptoms, including headaches, fever, nausea and abdominal pain. Duration is variable (ranging a few weeks to 3 months).

◙   Listeria

 

9-48 hrs                         (for GI symptoms)

2 to 6 weeks                 (for invasive disease)

 

Fever, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea; pregnant women may suffer flu-like symptoms and stillbirth; elderly, immune-compromised and infants can develop sepsis and meningitis. Duration is variable.

◙   Norovirus

 

 

12 to 72 hrs            (usually 24 to 48 hrs)

Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, headaches and fever. Typically resolves within 1 to 3 days.

◙   Salmonella

 

6 to 72 hrs              (usually 12-36 hrs)

Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. Typically resolves within 4 to 7 days.

◙   Shigella

 

 

24 to 72 hrs             (usually 36 to 48 hrs)

Watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, chills and fever. Stool may contain blood and mucus. Typically resolves within 4 to 7days.

◙  Staphylococcus

 

30 minutes to 8 hrs (usually 2 to 4 hrs)

Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. Typically resolves in 24 to 48 hrs.
 

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Clostridium Botulinum Fact Sheet

Clostridium botulinum is a type of bacteria often found in soil.  Botulism is characterized as a rare paralytic disease caused by a nerve toxin produced by the pathogen.  Although there are different types of botulism, food-borne botulism is caused by ingesting the botulism toxin. The rod-shaped organisms grow best in low-oxygen environments. The bacteria themselves form spores which allow for existence in a dormant state. The bacteria then flourish when they are once again exposed to hospitable growth conditions. This is why food-borne botulism is often associated with low acid content, home-canned foods, such as asparagus, green beans, beets and corn. Though extremely rare, outbreaks of botulism from more unusual sources such as chopped garlic in oil, chili peppers, tomatoes, carrot juice and home-canned or fermented fish do occur.

The classic symptoms of botulism can include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Infants with botulism can appear lethargic, feed poorly, become constipated, cry weakly and exhibit poor muscle tone. These symptoms are indicative of the muscle paralysis caused by the bacterial toxin. If untreated, these symptoms may progress to include paralysis of the arms, legs, trunk and respiratory muscles. In food-borne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after ingestion of a contaminated product.  In the United States, an average 145 cases are reported each year. Of these, only a small percentage are associated with the consumption of contaminated foods.

Though symptoms typically resolve within a few weeks, paralysis and respiratory difficulty associated with botulism can require intensive treatment. Good supportive care in a hospital is the mainstay of therapy for all forms of botulism. Given the scientific advancements in the treatment of botulism, only an extremely small percentage of botulism cases will result in death.

Notably, the botulinum toxin becomes unstable if exposed to high temperatures, and is destroyed when offending foods are heated to 176 degrees for ten minutes or longer. 

References:

www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/botulism_gi.html

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Clostridium Botulinum Images

 

 

 

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