Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Our Blog on April 7, 2024
Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill’s concussion was reportedly related to food poisoning. This head injury landed him on the injured list.
Concussions, while a very serious injury, are a risky part of a professional baseball player’s job. A small ball thrown at your trunk region, at 95+ miles per hour, is a huge hazard to one’s body.
Most of the time things go as planned. The ball is caught by the catcher as an out. Sometimes a ball. Other times, the bat makes contact and off goes the runners.
Occasionally things go awry, and the batter is hit with a ball to the head. Helmets provide some level of protection, but at times injuries happen.
But in this case, Trevor Megill’s concussion did not happen on the field.
Instead, the injury came from an unlikely source.
Food poisoning.
According to Curt Hogg, Brewers beat reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who posted on twitter:
“Add this to the pantheon of weird injuries: Trevor Megill had food poisoning in NYC and when he returned to Milwaukee went to a phone store. While there, he fainted and all 6-foot-8 fell to the floor. He ended up with a concussion and is now on the IL [injured list]. Scary injury.”
Apparently, the Brewer’s relief pitcher ate something while in New York City on the team’s road trip for games against The Mets. By the time he returned to home base in Milwaukee, something felt terribly wrong.
While the specific details of what caused Megill’s condition have not been disclosed, dehydration is a common symptom of many foodborne illnesses. Severe dehydration can lead to fainting, much like what appeared to happen to the pitcher.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 48 million people become sick from some type of foodborne illness each year. That is 1 in every 6 Americans.
While most of the foodborne illness goes unreported because symptoms are mild enough that they do not require medical care, a significant number of people have more serious illness.
Data suggests that about 128,000 people become hospitalized for their illness, and 3,000 die.
Specific symptoms, incubation periods, and length of illness may vary depending on which germ makes you sick. Certain food poisoning germs can cause serious, or even life-threatening complications.
The most common symptoms of food poisoning usually involve:
Diarrhea and vomiting are some of the most common symptoms. Both of these conditions deplete necessary hydration from the body. When you don’t have enough water in your body, additional complications can occur.
Your cells and organs need water to function. When the body is dehydrated, organs can begin to shut down. One of the warning signs your body gives you is fainting.
Travis Megill’s food poisoning could have been caused by any number of germs. A few of the more common include Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, Vibrio, and norovirus.
Salmonella bacteria are most commonly associated with raw or undercooked poultry, backyard chickens, pet reptiles, amphibians, and rodents. However, it has been found in foods such as raw milk, raw fruits and vegetables, eggs, and other foods.
People can become sick anywhere between 6 hours and 6 days after eating a contaminated food. Common symptoms include diarrhea (may be bloody), fever, stomach cramps, and vomiting.
E. coli, more formally called Escherichia coli, is usually linked to undercooked ground beef, raw milk, and raw sprouts. It has, however, been linked to outbreaks associated with raw vegetables (such as lettuce), and other foods.
Most people discover they have been infected with E. coli around 3 to 4 days after eating a contaminated food. Symptoms of E. coli infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. About 5 to 10% of those diagnosed with certain strains of E. coli will develop a life-threatening kidney condition known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS.
Vibrio infections are nearly synonymous with oysters. However, all raw or undercooked shellfish have risk for Vibrio contamination; along with any food that may become cross-contaminated with them.
Symptoms usually begin within 24 hours and include watery diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever, and/or chills.
Norovirus is often chalked up to be a “stomach bug,” but it is more than that. This highly contagious virus can be transmitted by an infected person, touching a surface with the virus on it, as well as food items such as leafy greens, fresh fruits, and shellfish.
You should always see a doctor for food poisoning symptoms if you become very sick. However, if symptoms become severe, you need to seek medical attention right away.
See a doctor if you have severe symptoms, including:
People who are pregnant may experience food poisoning symptoms differently. If you are pregnant and experiencing fever and other flu-like symptoms, see your doctor right away. Even some mild infections can affect your pregnancy.
Food poisoning should be taken very seriously. In some cases, bouts of food poisoning can have long-term effects.
I’m not talking about the Twitterverse going wild about a concussion injury of a Major League Baseballer that will live on the Internet forever.
Some food poisoning germs can affect your body long-term, or even permanently.
These may include, but are not limited to:
Food poisoning can be a terrible experience. A concussion due to a fall, potentially from a dehydration symptom can make the situation worse. Hopefully Megill will only need the minimum seven days on the injured list and can bounce back into action.
We wish a speedy recovery for Trevor Megill.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like Brewers Pitcher, Trevor Megill’s Concussion Related to Food Poisoning, check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)