Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The Stomach Germs You Need to Avoid!

With population numbers rising, one thing that is becoming more common is catching infections and passing them on to the people around us. One common form of infection comes from a group of bacteria that are found in many foods and animal feces, which means we have to constantly be careful and follow some basic rules to avoid.
It is important to understand what these germs are and what they do, and most of all - how to avoid them!

E. Coli
The E. Coli germ lives in the colon of people and animals such as cows, sheep and goats. Usually, the bacteria is not harmful and is required for the routine activities of the digestive system, but when some touch occurs with feces, there is a risk of infection. The bacteria usually travels through uncooked meat, polluted water and unpasteurized dairy products.

Symptoms of infection from E Coli include severe diarrhea, stomach aches and vomiting which can last between 5 to 10 days. Also, E Coli bacteria may cause urinary infections, with women being especially susceptible.

Although the vast majority of E Coli bacteria aren't dangerous, there are strands which can cause bloody diarreas, kidney malfunction and even death.

To avoid infection, be sure to properly cook your meat, watch fruit and vegetables thoroughly before eating or cooking them and avoid drinking unpasteurized milk and juice. Make sure to clean your hands well after going to the rest room and to thoroughly clean kitchenware and work surfaces that came in contact with uncooked meat.



Campylobacter

Campylobacter jejuni is a species of bacteria commonly found in animal feces. It is one of the most common causes of human gastroenteritis in the world. Food poisoning caused by Campylobacter species can be severely debilitating, but is rarely life-threatening.

C. jejuni is commonly associated with poultry, and it naturally colonizes the digestive tract of many bird species. One study found that 30% of European starlings in farm settings in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, were carriers of C. jejuni. It is also common in cattle.

Avoid contaminated drinking water and unpasteurized milk, which provide an efficient means for distribution.
Contaminated food is a major source of isolated infections, with incorrectly prepared meat and poultry as the primary source of the bacteria.

The causative agent of the relatively rare bacterial disease, listeriosis, a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria. The disease affects primarily pregnant women, newborns, adults with weakened immune systems, and the elderly.


Listeria

Listeria germs are found in the soil and in water, and so can appear on raw foods such as fruit and vegetables, raw meat and fish as well as unpasteurized dairy products. Unlike other bacteria, this species can also grow and spread in the relatively low temperatures of the average fridge.

Most Listeria bacteria are handled by the immune system before they can cause infection, but some 'get away' and cause Listeriosis.

Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, shivers, headaches and vomiting. People at high risk to suffer from a listeria infection are pregnant women and their fetuses, adults over 50 and people who have a weak immune system.

Listeriosis may not affect a lot of people, research suggests that every year it affects about 1,600 people globally. However, out of those 1600, 260 die.

To avoid infection, we repeat our advice to scrubs vegetables and fruit before eating, clean any spills in the kitchen, especially raw meat juices.

Vibrio

The Vibrio Parahaemolyticus germs live in salt water, and are often found in uncooked seafood. They may cause food poisoning which will in turn cause watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and shivers. Severe cases will cause blood and mucus to appear in the feces.

People who eat fish and uncooked seafood may be infected within 24 hours, while the symptoms may last 3-5 days. Severe infections are rare, but people with a weak immune system are at high risk.
These infections can usually be avoided by thoroughly cooking fish and seafood.

Toxoplasma

According to the CDC, millions of people around the world carry the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. However, only a few of us suffer any symptoms, due to a robust immune system. That said, there are people who develop texeoplasmosis and may suffer a severe infection.

The symptoms, like those of the flu, might be weakness, fever, muscle pain and enlarged lymph nodes.

Like the ones before, the risk groups are pregnant women and people with a weak immune system. The parasite can cause more severe diseases though, which may harm the brain, eyes, liver and lungs.

The toxoplasma gondii bacteria is found in a large variety of animals, but it can only breed in the stomach of a cat. That is why cats are considered the main spreaders. Cats usually catch the parasite by eating raw meat, unwashed vegetables or by contact with other cat feces which contain the eggs of the parasite.

To prevent infection, the CDC recommends cooking your food safely and avoiding low heats, wash your hands while handling raw food, and to avoid unclean water and cat feces.


Salmonella

Salmonella is a group of bacteria usually found in uncooked poultry, eggs, beef and sometimes unwashed fruit and vegetables. Touching food or animals that came in contact with the bacteria might cause an inflammation in your digestive system. This inflammation is called salmonellosis and its symptoms include fever, diarrhea, stomach and head aches which can last between 4 and 7 days.

Most people heal without treatment, but for the elderly, babies and people with chronic diseases, Salmonellosis can spread in the blood, with deadly results.

To avoid infection, avoid eating uncooked eggs, meat and poultry not fully cooked, and keep your raw meat separate from the cooked meat. Also wash everything that came into contact with uncooked foods.


Norovirus

This virus can do harm to the stomach and bowels, and is often called 'stomach flu'. The bacteria are usually found in contaminated food or beverages, but can also be passed by touching surfaces or other people carrying it.

The virus can cause an inflammation in the bowels (gastritis). The symptoms include Fatigue, headaches, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea and fever that tend to last a few days. Most people overcome the disease, but it's important to drink enough fluids to replace what you lost.

To avoid infection, always clean your hands with soap after handling foods, and disinfect work surfaces in the kitchen and restroom.

30 Surprising Animal Facts

The Animal world is awe-inspiring and full of surprises. Here are some collected animal facts that will amaze, amuse and teach you something new. Additional enjoyment is their super cute pictures!!!
1. Did you know that Turtles can breath through their anus?!
2. If a Squirrel finds a baby squirrel without parents, it will immediately adopt it!
3. Bees communicate through a complex dance.
4. Did you know that Dolphins actually have specific names for each-other?
5. In Japan, Macaques search for lost coins, as they learned to use vending machines!
6. Humpback Whales can get a song stuck in their head!
7. Did you know that a group of Pugs is called a "Grumble"?
8. Baby Chimpanzees will pick up and play with rocks and sticks, pretending they're babys.
9. This surprised me too, but apparently, Rats Mice are ticklish and can actually laugh!
10. Ever seen an excited bunny do this? It's called a "Binky"...
11. So a group of bunnies is called a "Fluffle" and that's just too adorable!
12. Shaved Guinea Pigs look exactly like baby Hippos!
13. When passing by another, an ant will bow it's head in greeting. Aren't these little fellas polite?
14. Did you know that the Norwegian Army has a Knighted Colonel who's a Penguine?! his name is Colonel-in-Chief, Sir Nils Olav!
15. Goats from different parts of the world actually have different accents!
16. Pom-pom Crabs aren't the ocean's cheerleaders, they actually pick poisonous anemones and wave them to defend themselves from predators.
17. Speaking of Macaques again, when they're young - these guys make snowballs for fun! (but unlike us, they don't throw them at eachother...)
18. Ever seen dogs play around, then suddenly sneeze? That's how they tell eachother that this is a game and not real aggression.
19. Fennec Foxes have extra-hairy feet, they act like snowboots - but for sand, making sure the fox can run faster and doesn't get burns on their little fluffy feet.
20. Sea Horses are amazing! They mate for life and when they swim around, they'll hold onto their mate's tail. (Oh, and the males actually get pregnant)
21. When Otters go to sleep at night, they hold hands so they don't get separated.
22. Does your cat bump it's head against you? It's their way of showing that they trust you!
23. In Sweden, they have an actual bunny-jumping show, called "Kaninhoppning" (Seriously!)
24. Crows are known for being intelligent, but did you also know that they're such rascals that they play pranks on eachother, just for fun?
25. Cows choose other cows as best-friends and spend all their time together.
26. Did you know that when they play, male puppies will let the females win?
27. Squirrels hide some of their nuts by burying them, but they're also forgetful and these forgotten nuts lead to hundreds of new trees each year!
28. Did you know that Elephant Shrews are actually related to Elephants, not Shrews?
29. You probably heard that Otters use rocks to break-open mollusks, but did you know that they have a "favorite" rock, which they keep in a special pocket made of a skin-flap?
30. Wombat poop is square! (but they're so adorable!)
I hope you enjoyed reading these as much as I did finding them!