NAME OF
PATHOGEN / CAUSE / SYMPTOMS / ONSET / DURATION / PREVENTION
Campylobacter
Jejuni / Ø  causes the greatest # of foodborne illnesses in the US
raw chicken
unpasteurized milk / Diarrhea
Fever
Abdominal pain
Nausea
Headache
Muscle pain / 2 – 5 days / 7 – 10 days / Avoid cross-
contamination
Cook meat & poultry
thoroughly
Don’t drink raw milk
Clostridium
Botulinum / Improperly home-
canned foods
Damaged cans
Honey (if given to
babies)
> Fatal in > 65% of
cases / Weakness
Double vision
Dizziness
Difficulty swallowing / 18 hrs – 2 days / Weeks to years depending on severity / Follow directions for
home canning
Don’t eat food from
dented or damaged
cans
Keep food refrigerated
No honey for babies
Clostridium
Perfringens / Meat and/or gravy
dishes
Not cooked to high
enough temps
Left at room temp for
too long / Abdominal cramping
Diarrhea / 8 – 22 hrs / 1 – 2 days / Keep hot foods above
140F
Store foods below 40F
within 1 – 2 hrs after
serving
Escherichia.
Coli O157:H7 / Undercooked ground
beef
Unpasteurized cider
Unpasteurized milk
Raw produce / Severe cramping
Bloody diarrhea
Low or no fever
May be fatal in young
children / Usually 3 – 4 days
(may be 1 – 10 days) / Average about 8 days / Cook ground beef to an
internal temp. of 160F
Wash fresh fruits &
vegetables
Don’t drink unpasteur-
ized milk or cider
Listeria
Monocytogenes / Unpasteurized milk
Raw meat & vegetables
Ice cream, soft-ripened
cheese
Lunch meat & hot dogs
Refrigerated salads
Will grow in refrigerator / If healthy -
Diarrhea, Vomiting,
Nausea Immunocompromised,
including pregnant -
Flu-like symptoms,
meningitis, miscarriage / 12 hrs – a few weeks / If healthy – 1 or 2 days
If immunosuppressed –
MUST have medical
attention / Wash fresh fruits &
vegetables
Keep foods refrigerated
Avoid eating the foods
named if pregnant or
immunocompromised
Salmonella
Enteritidis / Raw or undercooked
eggs / Fever
Abdominal cramps
Diarrhea; / 12 – 72 hours / 4 – 7 days / Keep eggs refrigerated
Discard cracked or
dirty eggs
Avoid consuming
uncooked products
made with raw eggs
(eggnog)
NAME OF
PATHOGEN / CAUSE / SYMPTOMS / ONSET / DURATION / PREVENTION
Salmonella
Typhimurium / Raw meat, poultry, eggs
Raw milk & dairy products
Cream-filled desserts
Peanut butter
Sauces & Salad dressings
Fish, shrimp / Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal cramps
Diarrhea
Fever
Headache / 6 – 48 hours / Up to 7 days / Thoroughly cook all food
Keep hands & surfaces
clean
Promptly refrigerate
leftovers
Wash hands after
handling reptiles
Shigella / Salads
Raw produce
Milk & Dairy products
Improper hand-washing
Unsanitary handling of
food
Contaminated water / Severe watery diarrhea,
bloody diarrhea,
Fever
Cramping
> Most common in children
ages 2 - 4 / 12 hrs – 2 days / 5 – 7 days / Wash produce well
Wash hands thoroughly
Disinfect diaper
changing areas
Avoid swallowing pool
water
Staphylococcus
Aureus / Meat & meat products
Poultry & egg products
Egg, tuna, potato, &
macaroni salads
Cream-filled bakery
products & pies
Milk & dairy products / Vomiting
Diarrhea
Abdominal cramps / 3 – 8 hours / 2 days / Wash hands well
Keep foods refrigerated
Vibrio
Cholerae / Shellfish / Diarrhea
Abdominal cramps
Fever / Within 48 hours / 6 – 7 days / Avoid raw or improperly
cooked shellfish
Vibrio
Vulnificus / Contaminated seafood,
especially oysters,
clams, & crabs
Finfish
Open wound exposed
to seawater / Vomiting
Diarrhea
Abdominal pain
Bulbous skin lesions / Within 16 hours / Days to weeks / Cook all shellfish
thoroughly
Avoid cross-
contamination
Avoid exposing wounds
to warm marine water
Wear gloves when
handling shellfish
Yersinia
Enterocolitica / Raw or undercooked
pork products
Unpasteurized milk
Contaminated water
Poor hand-washing
habits / Fever
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea (often bloody) / 4 – 7 days / 1 – 3 weeks or longer / Completely cook pork
products
Don’t consume
unpasteurized milk or
dairy products
Wash hands properly
Avoid cross-contamination