Bacterial Diseases

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Published 2025

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Table 2.1 describes some of the most common bacterial diseases. For each disease, pay particular attention to the way it is spread, the foods involved, and the means of prevention. General practices and procedures for prevention of foodborne diseases are discussed in a later section.

Table 2.1 Bacterial Diseases

Bacteria Disease	Cause/Characteristics	Source of Bacteria	Foods Usually Involved	Prevention
Botulism	Caused by toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, botulism attacks the nervous system and is usually fatal, even if only a small amount of poisoned food is eaten. The bacteria are anaerobic and do not grow in high-acid foods. Most outbreaks are caused by improper canning techniques. The toxin (although not the bacteria) is destroyed by boiling (212°F/100°C) for 20 minutes.	soil on vegetables and other foods	home-canned, low-acid vegetables (very rare in commercially canned foods)	Use only commercially canned foods. Discard without tasting any bulged or damaged cans or foods with off odors.
Staphylococcal food poisoning (staph)	Caused by toxins produced in foods by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, staph is probably the most common food poisoning, characterized by nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and prostration.	usually food workers	custards and desserts made with dairy products, potato salad, protein salads, ham, hollandaise sauce, and many other high-protein foods	Practice good hygiene and work habits. Do not handle foods if you have an illness or infection. Clean and sanitize all equipment. Keep foods below 40°F (4°C) or above 140°F (60°C).
Escherichia coli	This bacterium causes severe illness, either as an intoxication or an infection. Severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms result from E. coli intoxication. As an infection, E. coli causes intestinal inflammation and bloody diarrhea. While the illness normally lasts from 1 to 3 days, in some cases it can lead to long-term illness.	intestinal tracts of humans and some animals, especially cattle; contaminated water	raw or undercooked red meats, unpasteurized dairy products, sometimes fish from contaminated water, prepared foods such as mashed potatoes and cream pies	Cook foods, including red meats, thoroughly; avoid cross-contamination. Practice good hygiene.
Salmonella	The food infection caused by Salmonella bacteria exhibits symptoms similar to those of staph poisoning, though the disease may last longer. Most poultry carry this bacterium.	contaminated meats and poultry; fecal contamination by food workers	meats, poultry, eggs, poultry stuffings, gravies, raw foods, and shellfish from polluted waters	Practice good personal hygiene, proper food storage and handling, and insect and rodent control. Wash hands and sanitize all equipment and cutting surfaces after handling raw poultry. Use certified shellfish.
Clostridium perfringens	An infection characterized by nausea, cramps, stomach pain, and diarrhea. The bacteria are hard to destroy because cooking does not always kill them.	soil, fresh meats, human carriers	meats and poultry, reheated or unrefrigerated gravies and sauces	Keep foods hot (above 140°F/60°C) or cold (below 40°F/4°C).
Streptococcal (strep) infection	The symptoms of strep are fever and sore throat.	coughs, sneezes, infected food workers	any food contaminated by coughs, sneezes, or infected food workers, then served without further cooking	Do not handle food if you are infected. Protect displayed food (salad bars, pastry carts, etc.) from customers’ sneezes and coughs.
Shigellosis	Caused by various species of Shigella bacteria. The symptoms of this disease are diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, chills, and dehydration. The illness can last 4 to 7 days or longer if not treated.	human intestinal tract, flies, and water contaminated by feces	salads and other raw or cold cooked foods, dairy products, poultry	Good personal hygiene. Use sanitary food-handling practices. Control flies. Use foods from sanitary sources.
Listeriosis	Caused by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. This disease has many symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fever, chills, backache, and inflammation of the tissues around the brain and spinal cord. It can cause spontaneous abortion in pregnant women. The disease may not appear for days or even several months after the contaminated food is eaten, and it can last indefinitely if not treated properly. May be fatal in people with poor immune systems.	soil, water, and damp environments; carried in intestinal tracts of humans and animals, particularly poultry	unpasteurized dairy products; raw vegetables and meats; seafood; ready-to-eat foods that were contaminated and then not cooked further	Use good food-handling practices to avoid cross-contamination; use pasteurized dairy products; keep facilities clean and dry.
Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis	Caused by Bacillus cereus. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps or pain. This disease usually lasts less than a day.	soil and dust, grains, and cereals	grains and starches, including pastries and foods with starch thickeners; meats, milk, vegetables, and fish	Temperature control: Cook foods to proper internal temperatures; chill foods quickly and properly.
Camphylobacteriosis	Caused by Camphylobacter jejuni. This disease usually lasts 2 to 5 days, or up to 10 days, and causes diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle pain, and headache.	meat and dairy animals and poultry	unpasteurized dairy products; raw poultry; contaminated water	Cook foods to proper internal temperatures; use pasteurized dairy products; safe food-handling practices to avoid cross-contamination; avoid using contaminated water.
Vibrio gastroenteritis and septicemia	Caused by two species of Vibrio bacteria. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and headache. Severe cases of the disease can involve chills, fever, sores on skin, decreased blood pressure, and septicemia (blood poisoning). The illness lasts from 1 to 8 days and can be fatal in people with poor immune systems.	shellfish, especially from the Gulf of Mexico	raw or undercooked shellfish	Avoid eating raw or undercooked shellfish; avoid cross-contamination.
Yersiniosis	Caused by the bacteria Yersinia enterocolitica. The disease lasts from a few days to several weeks and is characterized by fever and severe abdominal pain and sometimes headache, sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea.	domestic pigs, soil, contaminated water, rodents	meats, especially pork; fish, oysters, unpasteurized milk, tofu, untreated water	Cook meats, especially pork, to proper internal temperatures; avoid cross-contamination; use proper sanitation procedures and food handling; avoid contaminated water.