Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of foodborne illness. Symptoms of staphylococcal food poisoning are usually rapid and in many cases serious, depending on individual response to the toxin, the amount of contaminated food eaten, the amount of toxin in the food ingested, and the general health of the victim. The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, and prostration. Some individuals may not always demonstrate all the symptoms associated with the illness. In more severe cases, headache, muscle cramping, and changes in blood pressure and pulse rate may occur.
Recovery generally takes two days.
It is not unusual for complete recovery to take three days and sometimes longer. Foods that require considerable handling during preparation and that are kept at slightly elevated temperatures after preparation are frequently involved in staphylococcal food poisoning. Staph may also be present in raw milk and raw milk products. Staph can cause mastitis in dairy cows, and other infections in meat animals. In this way, such meat sources may cause staph outbreaks in people.