Cereus
A type of food poisoning caused by the Bacillus cereus bacteria, which multiplies in raw foods at room temperature. The B. cereus bacteria produces toxins most often found in steamed or fried rice. It is believed that poisoning with B. cereus is underreported because its symptoms are so similar to other types of food poisoning (especially staphylococcal and CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS poisoning).
Symptoms. This bacterium produces two distinct types of food poisoning: The first features a short incubation period after eating tainted food (usually less than six hours), causing cramps and vomiting, and occasionally a short bout with diarrhea. Almost 80 percent of patients with these symptoms who test positive for B. cereus poisoning have eaten steamed or fried rice at Chinese restaurants.
The second type of B. cereus poisoning is very similar to Ñ perfringens poisoning; it appears within 8 to 24 hours after ingestion of tainted food and causes abdominal cramps and diarrhea with very little vomiting.
Treatment. Treatment of both types of the disease is aimed only at making the patient comfortable. There are no medications which will shorten the course of the disease.
