Can food poisoning cause a fever
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Can Food Poisoning Cause a Fever?
Understanding Food Poisoning Symptoms
Food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness, is caused by consuming contaminated food. The symptoms of food poisoning can vary depending on the source of contamination. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, and fever 13. These symptoms can start within hours of consuming the contaminated food or may take days or even weeks to appear. The duration of the illness typically ranges from a few hours to several days 13.
Fever as a Symptom of Food Poisoning
Fever is a common symptom associated with many types of food poisoning. The presence of fever indicates that the body is responding to an infection, which is often caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites present in contaminated food 13. For instance, in a reported case of food poisoning caused by Bacillus pumilus, the patient experienced severe abdominal cramps, fever with chills, diarrhea, dizziness, and loss of appetite . This case highlights that fever can indeed be a symptom of food poisoning.
Specific Pathogens and Fever
Certain pathogens are more likely to cause fever as part of their symptom profile. For example, outbreaks of food poisoning caused by B. paratyphosus B, which is also responsible for paratyphoid fever, can result in fever among other symptoms . This indicates that the type of pathogen involved in the food contamination can influence the likelihood and severity of fever as a symptom.
Conclusion
In summary, fever is a common symptom of food poisoning and can occur alongside other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The onset and duration of these symptoms can vary, but fever typically indicates an infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites in contaminated food. Understanding the symptoms and their causes can help in the timely diagnosis and treatment of foodborne illnesses.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic