Foodborne toxico-infection is a combination of food intoxication and infection of bacteria. The microorganism establishes to very high number in food and multiplies. It continues its growth in the gastrointestinal tract after food is consumed and toxin is released to cause symptoms. Contrast to intoxication, the toxin is produced in the food and then ingested.
In toxico-infection, the bacteria are non-invasive and cause illness by producing toxins while growing in the human intestines. The times of onset are generally, but not always, longer than those for intoxications, however less than those for infections.
For example, Bacillus cereus produces diarrheal toxin causing toxico-infection due to production of heat-labile toxins either in the gut or in food. The organism is gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, and produces heat resistant spores and can grow at 10-50 °C.
Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139 also can caused toxico-infection. The bacteria is non-invasive and diarrhea is mediated by cholera toxin formed in the gut.
Toxico-Infection: Caused By Eating Food With Bacteria
