Food poisoning in childhood is a risk factor for developing other diseases later on. Anyone who has suffered an E. col infection, for instance, is at risk for kidney and heart problems, as well as high blood pressure that can lead to strokes and heart attacks. Now a study has found that contracting salmonellosis gastroenteritis during childhood increases the risk of developing irritable bowl syndrome (IBS)and functional dyspepsia (FD) as an adult.
The study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, looked at a group of children who had been sickened in 1994 with Salmonella enteritidis. The 1,811 patients affected buh that outbreak lived in Bologna, Italy. The patients were sent a questionnaire 16 years after the outbreak. A cohort study was designed, randomly selecting a group of 250 adults exposed to Salmonella as children, 127 individuals exposed as adults, and a cohort of non-exposed participants as controls.
Among the 198 exposed participants, 32.3% reported suffering from FD, compared to 27.1% of the controls. Among 204 exposed participants, 36.8% reported having IBS, compared to 23.3% of the controls. THe prevalence of IBS was higher in those exposed to Salmonella as children than in the controls.
This study underscores the importance of protection children, especially, from foodborne illness. Salmonellosis is usually acquired from contaminated chicken, undercooked or raw eggs, and raw milk and other raw dairy products. Thorough cooking (checking the final temperature with a food thermometer), and avoiding cross-contamination can help.
