Apple poisoning
Apples are delicious, healthy, and perhaps the most popular fruit. Low calorie content, rich content of vitamins and microelements make apples an indispensable product in the diet of people of any age, especially children. But only a few people know that sometimes apples can cause poisoning.
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How does apple poisoning happen?
If apples are harvested from trees growing along major highways or in the security zone of industrial enterprises, the content of heavy metal salts in them exceeds the permissible values by several times. The ingestion of such compounds into the body leads to toxic damage to internal organs (liver, kidneys, lungs) and the central nervous system.
To increase the yield of apple trees, some unscrupulous gardeners apply excessive amounts of mineral fertilizers to the soil. As a result, nitrates and nitrites accumulate in the fruits, which can also cause serious intoxication.
Another common cause of apple poisoning is a banal violation of hygiene rules. During growth, harvesting, transportation and storage, the surface of apples is seeded with pathogens. If the apple is not thoroughly washed before eating it, microbes enter the digestive tract, causing the development of foodborne toxicity.
Poisoning symptoms
The symptoms of apple poisoning depend on the cause of the poisoning.
If the poisoning is associated with the presence of heavy metal salts, the following symptoms are present:
- abdominal pain, often of a spastic nature;
- nausea and vomiting;
- diarrhea;
- irritation of the mucous membranes;
- jaundice;
- decreased urine output;
- the appearance in the urine of protein and cylinders (determined by laboratory methods).
A slightly different symptomatology is observed with apple poisoning with an exceeded content of nitrates in them. Characteristic:
- cramping abdominal pain;
- cyanosis of the nail bed;
- nausea and vomiting;
- diarrhea with traces of blood in the stool.
Food poisoning associated with apple poisoning occurs with an increase in body temperature, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Source: depositphotos.com
First aid for apple poisoning
If symptoms of intoxication occur after eating low-quality apples, first aid is provided in the following sequence:
- Gastric lavage. The victim is given several glasses of a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate or salted water to drink, after which they induce vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue. The procedure is repeated several times until the appearance of clean wash water. You can not carry out gastric lavage at home for people in an unconscious state or children in the first five years of life.
- Use of intestinal sorbents. To inactivate toxic substances that have managed to penetrate the small intestine, the victim should take Activated Carbon, Filtrum STI, Smecta or any other enterosorbent. These drugs bind toxins and flush them out, thereby preventing them from being absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream.
- Conducting oral rehydration. When poisoning with apples, patients develop dehydration, the electrolyte balance is disturbed, signs of general intoxication appear. To eliminate them, drink plenty of fluids. You can give weak unsweetened tea, mineral water without gas, a solution of Regidron or Peditral. You should not drink a large volume of liquid once, as this will provoke increased nausea and can cause vomiting, it is better to take 1-2 sips every few minutes.
When is medical attention needed?
Apple poisoning in most cases proceeds relatively favorably, after first aid, acute symptoms disappear within the first day, therefore, as a rule, victims do not seek medical help. But there are situations when medical attention is needed:
- apple poisoning occurred in a pregnant woman, a child in the first years of life or an elderly person;
- symptoms of poisoning are very pronounced and / or persist, despite the measures taken, for more than 48 hours;
- signs of dehydration appear (a decrease in the amount of urine separated, its dark color, a strong feeling of thirst, a decrease in blood pressure);
- sharp and severe abdominal pain that does not subside after a bowel movement;
- icteric staining of mucous membranes and skin;
- the appearance of neurological disorders, including impaired consciousness.
Treatment of severe food poisoning caused by apple poisoning is carried out by an infectious disease doctor. Detoxification therapy is prescribed, as well as measures aimed at eliminating violations of the water-salt balance. If necessary, antimicrobial drugs and enzymatic agents that improve digestion can be used.
Apple poisoning caused by a high content of salts of heavy metals or nitrates is treated in a toxicological department. As with food toxicoinfection, detoxification therapy is carried out, the fight against dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. In addition, specific antidotes are administered (Methylene blue, Unithiol, sodium thiosulfate).
Possible consequences
The prognosis for apple poisoning is favorable in most cases. However, in young children and elderly patients, dehydration can lead to the development of hypovolemic shock and acute renal failure.
Poisoning with salts of heavy metals can lead to the development of toxic hepatitis and nephritis.
Prevention
- It is advisable to buy apples only from certified sellers.
- When purchasing apples, you should not choose the most beautiful and largest, since often these are the fruits that are grown with the abuse of fertilizers.
- In doubtful cases, it is better to give preference to fruits with a wormhole, since fruits infected with the apple moth do not contain nitrates and heavy metal salts, therefore, they are safe for human health.
- When eating apples, observe the rules of hygiene: thoroughly wash both the fruits themselves and your hands before eating.
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Elena Minkina Doctor anesthesiologist-resuscitator About the author
Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute, specializing in general medicine in 1991. Repeatedly passed refresher courses.
Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the city maternity complex, resuscitator of the hemodialysis department.
The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
