What the Details Show

The details form displays the following data: etiologic agent and source, incubation or latency period, signs and symptoms, source, reservoir and epidemiology, foods usually involved, specimens to collect, factors contributing to foodborne outbreaks, and control measures. The information is organized for rapid review and allows the comparison of the same kind of data about different diseases.

No attempt has been made to include all poisonous plants, poisonous chemicals, or radioactive materials in the database. Only those plants that are used as food or mistaken for food and those that illustrate a different class of poison are included. There has been no attempt to list all foods that have been incriminated as vehicles in outbreaks. Except in the case of rare diseases, only foods of public health importance are listed.

The symptoms of each disease are usually in the order either of their occurrence or their predominance. Individual cases, however will not manifest all the symptoms and, in some cases, additional signs and symptoms will occur. The incubation period ( latency period in the case of poisonings) is the time from ingestion of the contaminated food until the first symptoms appear. Individual cases will have incubation periods that vary from the stated times. Control measures are listed in the order of relative importance.

Blank spaces in the detail text indicates that the appropriate information is insignificant or unknown. The authors encourage comment on missing diseases and information and submission of additional data.

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