Toxins In Comparison To Family Member Profiles

Toxins In Comparison To Family Member Profiles

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Toxins In Comparison To Family Member Profiles

The Watsons are a family of four and have been exposed to Staphylococcus aureus after having sandwiches and pudding prepared by an infected person. Below is their brief profile.

             The family has a visiting relative, Joseph, who has a severe nose infection. He is not a very hygienic person and often blows his nose when no one is looking. He makes the family sandwiches and pudding. Thirty minutes after eating, Jeremy complains of stomach cramps and diarrheas shortly. They have been exposed to the toxin Staphylococcus aurea, which is commonly found in the nasal lining and on the skin of a person carrying the staphylococcus aurea bacteria (Schaechter, Engleberg, DiRita & Dermody, 2013). It is responsible for producing toxins that are often behind food poisoning. The condition is referred to as staphylococcal food poisoning. Its symptoms include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Symptoms can be observed from as soon as 30 minutes after ingestion of contaminated food or even as late as six hours. Jeremy manifests symptoms sooner because of his age. He is young and susceptible to bacterial infections, which manifest faster in children.

            Gregory is under medication for h. pylori infection, for which he s under the antibiotic amoxicillin. However, Gregory does not manifest any symptoms of the infection. His health status is good, and he is observing a balanced diet. One would expect Gregory to be the most affected, but on the contrary, he is not. This is because he is under medication to treat the h. pylori, amoxicillin, which is also the regimen for staphylococcus aureus infections. The drug can be used to treat both infections and therefore, he is not affected by the toxins. Jenifer starts vomiting and diarrhea three hours after exposure to the toxin and does not take medication and the symptoms worsen in two days. She develops a low blood pressure. Her symptoms are severe and worse given that she is under Ferrex 150 Forte, and one of the side effects is diarrhea and vomiting. Jenifer takes amoxicillin and plenty of fluids and regains her health.

            Mary Watson experiences cramps after about an hour of eating the pudding. She takes plenty of water and an amoxicillin capsule and does not experience more symptoms. Mary’s health is in good shape, and her diet is balanced as well. The fact that she is under no medication and her nutritional status is good has contributed to her quick recovery. The infection is not severe and symptoms disappear in about 12 to 24 hours. However, in some severe cases, as seen in Jenifer’s, they can last up to three days (Crossley, 2010). This happens especially if the patient has other underlying health conditions. The staphylococcal infections can be prevented by observing hygiene when handling food, avoiding preparing food when one has a nose or skin infection, and keeping the kitchen area clean at all times (Damani, 2011).

References

Crossley, K. B. (2010). Staphylococci in human disease. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.

Damani, N. (2011). Manual of Infection Prevention and Control. Oxford: OUP Oxford.

Schaechter, M., Engleberg, C., DiRita, V. J., & Dermody, T. (2007). Schaechter’s mechanisms of microbial disease. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.