Environmental Health

Environmental Health

Illnesses / Outbreaks

Illnesses

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Importance to Health

Foodborne illness, commonly known as food poisoning, is caused by consuming food or beverages contaminated with bacteria, the toxins bacteria produce, viruses, parasites, moulds, or chemicals. The microbes which cause foodborne illness can also be acquired from other exposures such as person to person contact, animal contact, and recreational water. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps, headache and fever and they may last for several hours, days or months. Young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk for developing severe symptoms. When several individuals become ill due to a common exposure such as consuming the same food product, attending the same daycare, or swimming at the same pool an outbreak may be declared.

 

Roles of Environmental Public Health

The Environmental Public Health Program investigates the source of infection for confirmed and unconfirmed cases of communicable diseases associated with food, water, and animals as mandated under the Communicable Diseases Regulation of the Alberta Public Health Act. Appropriate measures are taken to prevent further cases which may include testing of food, stool, or water samples, exclusion of ill cases from high risk jobs, inspection of public facilities, closure of public facilities, and outbreak declaration.

 

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