Later, because of toxic injury to the liver and kidney, the person exhibits signs of hepatic and renal failure. Mussels, clams, and certain other shellfish are dangerous during some seasons of the year, particularly in the Pacific Ocean. They become poisonous as a result of feeding on microorganisms that appear in the ocean during the warm months. Paralytic shellfish poisoning is characterized by paralysis of the respiratory tract. Symptoms develop within five to 30 minutes after eating.
Botulism is the most dangerous, but fortunately the rarest, type of food poisoning.
For most bacterial food poisoning treatment is largely supportive and consists of rest, nothing by mouth until vomiting stops, antidiarrheal medication, and intravenous replacement of fluids and electrolytes as needed. Sixty per cent of botulism cases that are misdiagnosed or treated improperly are fatal. In general, antibiotics are not effective in treating bacterial food poisoning. Exceptions are shigellosis and invasive E. coli, Campylobacter fetus, and severe Clostridium perfringens type A infections. In these cases tetracycline is most often prescribed.