Food poisoning is caused by eating food that is contaminated by bacteria. Symptoms include a painful or tender abdomen, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and sometimes fever and sweating. In most cases, medical treatment is not necessary. The person should drink plenty of fluids and make sure to replace the salt and sugar that are lost through vomiting and diarrhoea. If symptoms persist for longer than 24 hours, you should contact a doctor.
Botulism is a rare but very serious form of food poisoning.
The bacteria grow in food that has been improperly canned, and produce a toxin that that is highly poisonous. Symptoms, such as double vision, difficulty breathing, talking and swallowing, usually occur between 8 and 36 hours after the contaminated food has been eaten. Call 999 for an ambulance. Try to identify what the person has eaten and, if possible, keep a sample to take to hospital. If the person has been sick, take a sample of vomit as well, but do not try to make the person sick because vomiting may cause more damage.