Can raw meat cause food poisoning?

Foodborne illness after raw meat may cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, or fever. The timing and pattern depend on the germ and the amount of exposure, so symptoms may not begin immediately. Cross-contamination can happen when raw meat juices reach hands, knives, boards, or ready-to-eat food. A clinician uses your symptoms and food history to decide whether examination or testing is needed.

Sip water or an oral rehydration solution regularly and eat small, plain meals once nausea settles. Rest and wash hands carefully after using the toilet. Keep raw meat separate from cooked food, and clean utensils and surfaces with care. Do not use antibiotics left from another illness; treatment depends on the suspected cause. Note stool changes, fever, vomiting, pain, and how often you urinate.

Get urgent medical help for bloody diarrhoea, severe or localised abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, faintness, confusion, or very little urine. Seek advice sooner for infants, older adults, pregnancy, or immune suppression. Medical assessment is also sensible when fever is persistent, symptoms are worsening, or you cannot replace fluids by mouth; IV fluids can treat significant dehydration.

Ask whether you need testing, how to manage food and fluids, whether any medicine is appropriate, and which symptoms mean you should return urgently.