Bacteria are by far the most prevalent cause of food poisoning. When thinking of dangerous bacteria, names like E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella come to mind for good reason. Salmonella is by far the biggest culprit of serious food poisoning cases in the United States.
Common cases of food poisoning will typically include at least three of the following symptoms: abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, mild fever, weakness, nausea, and headaches. Symptoms of potentially life-threatening food poisoning include: diarrhea persisting for more than three days, a fever higher than 101.5°F, difficulty seeing or speaking, symptoms of severe dehydration, which may include dry mouth, passing little to no urine, difficulty keeping fluids down, and bloody urine.
