$Unique_ID{BRK00597}
$Pretitle{Accidents, Poisoning, and Violence, Infections or Parasites}
$Title{What is "Ptomaine Poisoning"?}
$Subject{ptomaine food poisoning cause}
$Volume{O-10, O-26, A-10, A-26}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What is "Ptomaine Poisoning"?


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QUESTION:  We recently attended a "high class" affair, a benefit for a
charity, and catered by a very reputable firm.  However, only hours after the
dinner was over, several people were taken to the hospital with food
poisoning, but neither my husband nor I fell ill.  I know the problem as
"tomain poisoning" but can find nothing in my home medical book by that name.
Can you provide the explanations I am seeking?

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ANSWER:  Though I can't give you all the information requested in your four
page letter, I can help clear up a few points for you.  To start, it is
spelled "Ptomaine" but even then you won't find any information for ptomaines
are the result of protein decomposition and are perfectly harmless.  Look for
your information under "staphylococcal food intoxication" (or "food poisoning,
staphylococcal") and you will find all your answers.  When certain foods, such
salads using mayonnaise, creamy food dressing, or cream filled pastries, are
prepared well ahead of time, and then improperly refrigerated, staph bugs can
reproduce rapidly, and produce toxins, which in turn cause all the symptoms
you listed, vomiting, "dry heaves" and diarrhea.  There is no way to detect
the tainted food, as it looks and smells normal.  Since all the food may not
have been prepared at once, or improperly refrigerated, not all the guests at
the banquet became ill.  Be happy that you were among the lucky ones.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
