One of the most serious potential complications of a foodborne illness is dehydration from lost fluids or other essential minerals and salts because of vomiting and diarrhea. It’s crucial to replace the fluids with water, but some weaker people need to be hospitalized and given intravenous fluids. In some cases, dehydration imbalances can be fatal.

Deadly Targets

Some forms of food poisoning can be particularly dangerous to certain populations. Listeria monocytogenes can cause severe complications for a fetus, including miscarriage if it’s early in a pregnancy. If acquired later in the pregnancy, complications can include premature birth, stillbirth or a fatal infection shortly after the child is born. All of these can harm the child even if its mother was only mildly affected by the illness. There is also the potential of long-term neurological damage, which can lead to delayed development issues.

E.coli has its own set of problems. A complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which attacks the lining of the kidney’s blood vessels, can cause kidney failure. Older adults and children younger than age 5, along with the immune compromised, are at particular risk for this complication, which announces itself with large amounts of bloody diarrhea.

And dehydration as a result of vomiting and diarrhea is a real threat to even the healthiest person. In severe cases, patients may be hospitalized or, if left untreated, dehydration can be fatal.