February 20, 200917 yr By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe, Ap Medical Writer – Thu Feb 19, 2009 ATLANTA – Next time you have a case of diarrhea that lasts a day or more, chances are better than 1 in 3 that it was food poisoning. As many as a quarter of Americans suffer a foodborne illness each year — though only a fraction of those cases get linked to high-profile outbreaks like the recent salmonella-peanut scare, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Outbreaks are dramatic instances," says Dr. Robert Tauxe, a CDC expert on the subject. But they highlight a health threat that many people exaggerate and misunderstand, according to some experts. Scientists have counted more than 250 food-related types of illness — from viruses to bacteria to parasites. Most common are Norwalk-like viruses — famous for sickening cruise-ship passengers. They account for about two-thirds of known food-poisoning cases, according to the CDC. Two types of bacteria, campylobacter and salmonella, are the next most common. Campylobacter is blamed for about 14 percent of food poisonings, salmonella for roughly 10 percent.
February 20, 200917 yr How many American and others get food poisoning here in Thailand? Best to always keep a supply of norfloxicin on hand.
February 20, 200917 yr Best to always keep a supply of norfloxicin on hand. So far I've been lucky. I've never had food poisoning in my life. I've never heard of norfloxicin. Can you tell us more about it? I'm interested in what dosage to take and how often to take it if I ever do get food poisoning. Is that what they give you if you have to go to the hospital?
February 20, 200917 yr How many American and others get food poisoning here in Thailand? Best to always keep a supply of norfloxicin on hand. Not a great idea for people over 60. Often can cause the tendons to collaspe. You can end up with permanent tendonitis. http://www.rxlist.com/noroxin-drug.htm
February 20, 200917 yr How many American and others get food poisoning here in Thailand? Best to always keep a supply of norfloxicin on hand. Not to be picky but the correct spelling is NORFLOXACIN I believe.
February 20, 200917 yr Not to be picky but the correct spelling is NORFLOXACIN I believe. Sorry about my typing error.
February 20, 200917 yr Not a great idea for people over 60. Often can cause the tendons to collaspe. You can end up with permanent tendonitis. http://www.rxlist.com/noroxin-drug.htm I find the risk of excessive diarrhea with vomiting more of a problem.
February 20, 200917 yr I'm interested in what dosage to take and how often to take it if I ever do get food poisoning. Is that what they give you if you have to go to the hospital? Norfloxacin is what was prescribed for me at Bangkok Pattaya hospital. The dosage is 400 mg twice a day for 4 days. After the second day you will notice a big difference. I had a severe case of food poisoning in Indonesia. I had a doctor come to the hotel and was treated for 4 days with intravenous antibiotics and 2-3 different kinds of pills. Nothing worked. I had to come home to Thailand and had diarrhea episode while waiting in line at immigration in KL. When I got home I went straight to BPH and in 2 days I was like a new person. I think the cost of norfloxacin at an outside pharmacy is about 5 baht per pill. Well worth having it on hand, along with electrolyte powder. I have had a lesser problem from food here in Thailand in the past and took cipro as prescribed. It didn't work nearly as well as the norfloxacin.
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