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A common cause of Rapid onset of vomiting within hours of food due to pre-formed enterotoxins seen in exams - eaten Fried rice, Vomits then diarrhoea then better

About

• An important cause of food poisoning for exams

Source

• Frequently contaminate clinical environments, biotechnological processes, and food production
• Found in fried rice left at room temperature and vegetables,
• Less commonly in cakes, pastas and sauces

Characteristics

• Aerobic. Gram-positive spore formers - spores are resistant to boiling
• Produces emetic enterotoxins when rice is fried and badly stored
• Two toxins first causes emetic syndrome and other a diarrheal syndrome (enterotoxin)
• Due to the fact that spores of B. cereus resist the heating process, and germinate and multiply during storage of the leftover food at room temperature

Clinical

• Vomiting within 5 hours and then a diarrhoeal illnesss
• Resolution in 24 hours and return to normal
• Very Rarely systemic with pneumonia and endocarditis

Management

• Self limiting. Conservative management only. Oral rehydration
• Notifiable if source is a food vendor

References

• Bacillus cereus at CDC