ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 2, 1996 TAG: 9607020037
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Health Notes
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY
A Salem restaurant was closed for a day last week because it had at least two employees infected with salmonella bacteria.
Salmonellosis is one of seven bacteria-causing, foodborne diseases that the public lumps under the heading of food poisoning.
It can be passed along through poor hygiene and has an incubation period of six to 72 hours. The symptoms of this illness can last two to three days and include abdominal pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea.
So, how can we avoid it?
Sometimes we can't, but we can do two things:
Report any restaurant condition that appears unclean to the store manager and a health department;
Report any illness you believe is associated with food in a restaurant or commercial outlet such as a grocery store to a health department.
The symptoms of food poisoning are so general that it's not easy to tell if you have it. A serious case can cause paralysis, double vision, or swallowing or breathing problems. In those cases, the person should go to the hospital immediately. Food poisoning can be especially severe for the very young, very old, pregnant women or people who are already ill and have suppressed immune systems.
Most food poisoning cases are mild, though. That's where we get the common explanation for feeling bad: "It must be something I ate."
Illness can occur within four to 48 hours of eating bad food. If you believe you became ill after eating at a restaurant give a short, detailed account of the incident to the health department worker. Try to recall everything you ate and whether or not other members of your party had the same items.
If you become ill after eating something you bought out and brought home, have what's left of the product, or its container, with you when you call the health department so that you can describe the food.
If you're asked to keep the food refrigerated so officials can examine it, pay attention to what the health worker says.
Remember these home tips:
Never leave food setting out for more than two hours;
Put leftovers in small containers for quick cooling;
Refrigerate stuffing separate from meat;
When reheating, bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil and heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165 degrees F.
Never taste food that looks or smells strange to see if you can stil use it. Throw it away.
Most moldy food should be discarded. You sometimes can save hard cheese and salamis and firm fruits and vegetables by cutting the mold out, but remember that the mold you see is like the tip of an iceberg. Molds also form poisons under the surface of the food.
Insurance for seniors
Any senior citizen, or family member of a senior citizen, who has fretted about insurance issues might want to take the time to attend a July 18 seminar in Roanoke. It's an opportunity to ask the tough questions or seek an explanation for a confusing medical bill.
The seminar will focus on Medicare benefits and rights, long-term care, Medigap and HMO heatlh insurance and will be held at 10 a.m. in the Community Room of the Brambleton Center, 3738 Brambleton Ave. S.W., Roanoke.
Representatives from Travelers MetraHealth Medicare, the State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance and LOA will speak. The seminar is scheduled for two hours and allows time for questions. Following, representatives from LOA's Health Insurance Counseling program will be available from noon to 1:30 p.m. to help persons with individual health insurance or medical bill problems.
The seminar is free, but seating is limited so persons who want to come should call LOA at (540) 345-0451 by July 12 to reserve a seat or make an appointment with an insurance counselor.
Heartburn test
The benefits of an acid-blocking medication and laparoscopic surgery for severe heartburn are being compared in a new national study being conducted at six sites including Virginia Commonwealth University's Medical College of Virginia.
Physicians want to recruit 50 patients nationally who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease in which stomach contents - food, acid and other secretions - flow back into the esophagus. Symptoms include severe heartburn, regurgitation, belching, spasms and indigestion.
Ideal candidates are persons recently diagnosed or who have not responded to treatment for reflux disease.
To qualify, patients must agree to being assigned to the medication or the surgery group. Persons who go into the medication group receive omeprazole, and if they don't improve within six months with it, they become candidates for surgery.
For more information, call MCV's Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, (804) 828-6928. It's also a good idea to discuss your interest with your physician.
To contact Sandra Brown Kelly, call (800) 346-1234, extension 393 outside the Roanoke Valley; 981-3393, locally, or through biznews@roanoke.infi.net.
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