Foodborne disease can cause kidney failure, paralysis

By Sheilah Downey

Acute foodborne illness can have far-reaching impacts and life-long complications, according to the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention in a report released Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that foodborne illnesses cause tens of millions of acute illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths each year in the United States.

Though the severity of each case varies according to the pathogen, children, the elderly and the immune suppressed are more likely to have serious or longer lasting consequences, stated the report.

Immune suppressed include pregnant women, people undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients and HIV/AIDS patients.

Last month the Center for Science in the Public Interest released a report on the ten foods most likely to get people sick. Leafy greens, sprouts and berries were among the top ten foods to cause foodborne illness. Leafy greens alone accounted for 363 outbreaks and 13,600 illnesses, mostly from E.Coli and Salmonella poisoning.

Also on the list were eggs, tuna, oysters, ice cream, cheese, tomatoes and potatoes.

While diarrhea and vomiting are common symptoms of food poisoning, in a small percentage of cases it can also cause kidney failure, paralysis, seizures, hearing and visual impairments and mental retardation, according to the Center for Foodborne Illness report.

Below is a list of health outcomes for five foodborne pathogens:

+ E. Coli O157:H7 -- This foodborne illness poses the greatest risk to children, who not only have the highest incidence rate but are also at the greatest risk for serious complications. E.coli can lead to hemolytic uremic syndome (HUS) which is the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the U.S. HUS can lead to death, or permanent health problems such as end-stage kidney disease, neurological complications and diabetes.

+ Campylobacter infection -- This infection affects millions of Americans each year and lands more than ten thousand in the hospital. It is associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), the most common cause of neuromuscular paralysis in the U.S. Campylobacter can also trigger arthritis, heart and blood infections.

+ Listeria monocytogenes -- Thousands of Americans each year are afflicated with this pathogen, nearly all from contaminated food. It has been linked to infections of the brain and spinal cord which can result in dysfunctions or death. Most reported cases occur in children under the age of 4 and about one in five die as a result. In pregnant women, it can cause miscarriage, premature or stillbirth. Listeria survivors are left with serious dysfunctions, including seizures, paralysis and impaired ability to see.

+ Salmonella -- Nearly half of all salmonella cases occur in children. Antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella have emerged recently and are increasing, particularly in children. Salmonella can trigger reactive arthritis (ReA) which causes painful swollen joints.

+ Toxoplasma gondii infection -- This can result in cognitive or visual disabilities with 80 percent of infected fetuses or infants displaying impairment by the age of 17. Impairments from acute cases can include mild to severe mental retardation, visual impairment and in some cases blindness.