Clostridium perfringens is a human and animal pathogen which is formerly known as C. welchii or Bacillus welchii. It is rod-shaped, in feature; but in nature it is anaerobic. It is just like a spore-forming pathogenic bacterium of the genus Clostridium group. And it’s always found in nature.
It can be identified as one of the components of vegetation, soil sediment. However, it is found quite commonly in the human intestine and other vertebrates. Sometimes it is also available in insects and soil. Normally, its generation time is one of the shortest of any organism that is 6.3 minutes in thioglycollate medium. It is the main factor that causes gastrointestinal symptoms.
How does this Clostridium Perfringens outspread?
Clostridium perfringens spreads only when you swallow the bacteria. This happens only when you eat food that is either undercooked or kept outside the refrigerator.
What is food poisoning caused by Clostridium Perfringens?
Clostridium Perfringens is one of the most dangerous bacteria which is widely found in the human intestine. You can also find it soil especially where human or animal feces are found.
How does Clostridium Perfringens create food poisoning?
In most cases, powerful clostridium perfringens can cause food poisoning when you eat frozen food or improperly cooked food. You can find this bacterium when you keep food in the refrigerator at an improper temperature. It can use the medium and multiply rapidly. This bacterium is quite dangerous as it increases in number rapidly. Moreover, it is quite effective in meat, gravy, etc.
What symptoms you may face?
This is so powerful bacteria that within few hours of getting affected intense abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea can occur. The Clostridium Perfringens symptoms may appear after 6 to 24 hours of span. If you eat food that contains a large number of bacteria, the effect will start very soon.
How is food poisoning diagnosed?
If you want to deal with the problem very fast, you have to find a doctor who is experienced to deal effectively. To confirm the diagnosis, you have to go to a medical center where you can submit your stool or blood sample. In case you have a low level of food poisoning, a stool test should be enough. If your case is considered more complex, you have to conduct a blood test too.
How can you do Clostridium Perfringens treatment?
You can treat it easily with home remedies before it goes out of your hand. Dehydration is one of the most common things one can face. Vomiting is another aspect that is very common in food poisoning. Antibiotics and other treatments are always available, but you should only use them when the case is complex.
Normally antibiotics are very heavy for the human body. Thus, always use them when doctors prescribe them. The best thing you can do about Clostridium Perfringens treatment is that you can have a rehydration drink. It will be ideal to take such a drink each time when you have loose motion. You can also drink a sports drink, such as Gatorade.
However, these products are not good enough for your body as you need lots of electrolytes. This product has lots of sugar which is not good enough for your body. When you have food poisoning, you need to stop eating fat, sugar, etc for few days. Anyone who would like to drink coffee can drink it after one week.
How can I prevent Clostridium Perfringens?
It is always important to wash your hands often with soap before every meal. We have to be more careful especially using the washroom. Those people who have the baby in their home must clean their hands before feeding them.
If you have pets, just clean up them properly. You must carefully follow such tags “keep refrigerated,” “sell by” and “use by” and the expiry dates. When you are serving foods in a buffet, you just keep separate hot and cold foods. If you have any leftover food, you should divide up the storage. While you leave food at room temperature, it may cause harm. You must put all foods in a refrigerator at the proper temperature.
Just be careful, if you use anything including your hands to touch raw meat or poultry. Raw meat, seafood, or poultry should be washed thoroughly before you touch any other food. If you cook animal-sourced food especially poultry or meat, make sure to cook it thoroughly until there is no pink in the center. When someone has diarrhea and you are taking care of that person, make sure to scrub your hands with soap.
Conclusion
Whenever you have leftover food, within two hours of preparation, you have to refrigerate under 4 degrees centigrade. In case, food has a different taste than it is supposed to be, just try to avoid it. Food poisoning is a very common disease. So don’t be scared. Clostridium Perfringens symptoms may vary from person to person. However, you just have to follow the above-mentioned tips to deal with Clostridium perfringens and its related problem. We can carefully deal with Clostridium Perfringens when we know how to prevent it.
