Food-Borne Illness: Salmonella, Campylobacter, Giardia, And

| Pathogen | Source | Incubation | Symptoms | Key Features | Treatment | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Salmonella | Raw poultry/eggs, reptiles | 6–48 hours | Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (may be bloody), fever | Invasive; typhoid fever (S. typhi); can cause bacteremia | Supportive; antibiotics for severe/immunocompromised | | Campylobacter | Poultry, unpasteurized milk | 2–5 days | Bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramping | Most common food-borne bacterial diarrhea in US; associated with GBS | Supportive; azithromycin for severe cases | | Giardia | Contaminated water (fecal-oral) | 1–3 weeks | Prolonged diarrhea (greasy, foul-smelling, no blood), bloating, flatulence | Protozoal; common in hikers ('beaver fever'); cysts survive in water | Metronidazole (Flagyl) | | Shigella | Fecal-oral; low infectious dose | 1–3 days | Bloody diarrhea, fever, tenesmus (painful urge to defecate), cramping | Highly contagious; HUS in children; contact precautions | Supportive; antibiotics for severe cases | General food-borne illness nursing care: - Fluid and electrolyte replacement (oral or IV) - Contact precautions for diarrheal illness in healthcare settings - Strict hand hygiene (soap and water effective against C....