What should you know about sudden death from food poisoning?

Foodborne illness commonly causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, and sometimes fever. The immediate danger is losing more fluid and salts than you can replace. Some toxins can affect the nervous system, while invasive infections may cause blood in the stool, severe pain, or a rapidly worsening general condition. Risk is greater for infants, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone with a serious long-term illness or reduced immunity. Symptoms alone cannot identify the organism or predict the course.

Take frequent small sips of water or an oral rehydration solution if you can swallow and keep fluids down. Rest, wash hands carefully, and avoid preparing food for other people while unwell. Do not use leftover antibiotics or anti-diarrhoeal medicine without clinical advice, especially if you have fever or blood in the stool. A clinician may recommend oral rehydration therapy; severe dehydration may require IV fluid therapy.

Get urgent medical help for confusion, collapse, severe weakness, trouble breathing, a swollen abdomen, severe or localised abdominal pain, blood or black stool, repeated vomiting, or inability to keep fluids down. Seek prompt assessment for signs of dehydration such as very little urine, dizziness on standing, a dry mouth, or unusual sleepiness. Do not delay for a child, older adult, pregnant person, or someone with a serious medical condition.

Ask whether you need a stool test, blood tests, rehydration treatment, or observation. Tell the clinician what you ate, when symptoms began, how often you have vomited or passed stool, and whether anyone else became ill after the same meal.