Taurean Bullard March 4, 2012
What is the infections agent (pathogen) that causes this infectious disease, the name of the bacteria, virus, or parasite?
Staphylococcus Aureus is the infectious pathogen that can cause a variety of illnesses from minor skin infections like boils, carbunkles, cellulitis, impetigo, abcesses and of course staph infection. This pathogen can also lead to life-threatening diseases such as pnuemonia, menengitis, toxic shock syndrome, bacteremia, and sepsis.
How is this infectious agent transmitted through food or water? This infectious agent can be transmitted by skin, soft tissue, respiratory, bone, joint, endovascular to wound infections. It is also carried in the respiratory tract, nasal passages. It can also be transferred onto clothes, bedding and on the skin of carriers. If someone that is a carrier ...view middle of the document...
This event took place in Knoxville, TN. There were at least 50 ill persons. Each of them had consumed the pulled pork that was cooked an prepared by employees of Pop's in Caryville. After an in depth investigation the pork tested positive for Staphylococcus Aureus. I obtained this information from a report that is accesible at the following website. http://health.state.tn.us/ceds/EPI_Training/WFP_report.pdf
What are the clinical symptoms, duration of the disease, and treatment if any? The clinical symptoms of the disease are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, major abdominal cramps and pain, abdominal distention, and mild fever. The disease normally lasts 2 days or less in non sever cases, but it may lead to other life-threatening illnesses and complications that an individual will need to be hospitalized for. If this illness is a result of infection from a post surgical wound becoming containminated with the bacteria. The treatment method is basically to rehydrate the individual that was infected. You should drink plenty of water and electrolyte solutions to replace fluids lost while vomiting. If the person is unable to take fluids by mouth because of diarrhea will need intraveneous fluid replacement, this occurs mostly in small children.
What steps can be taken to prevent further outbreaks? Include individual as well as environmental precautions and methods. First and foremost you should make it a habit to wash your hands thoroughly before and after all food preperation. Also wash and sanatize hands after using the restroom, touching the face, body or clothing as this may contribute to the spread of any bacteria not just Strep. Refrigerate leftovers and meats promptly after they have been properly cooled, as immediately placing hot foods in a cold temperature can contaminate them also. When storing raw foods place them in a tight container at the bottom of the refrigerator so that blood and liquids cannot drip into other things.