Abdominal pain, uncomfortable diarrhea, and antibiotics are of no help... Every year at this time, patients with acute diarrhea begin to increase again. Reporters learned from the gastroenterology and emergency departments of various hospitals in Shanghai that in the past few days, the number of patients with gastrointestinal diseases, acute pancreatitis, and recurrent gout has rapidly increased, with the number of acute diarrhea patients increasing tenfold or even more.
An investigation of many patients found that summer night stalls, spicy crayfish, seafood, and even ice beer that citizens love to eat are the main culprits. It's a misconception to stop eating and drinking after having diarrhea
Dr. Du Wenmin from the Shanghai Center for Adverse Drug Reactions pointed out that after experiencing diarrhea, many people choose to stop eating and drinking, wanting to empty their stomachs completely. This can lead to dehydration and a significant loss of electrolytes. Therefore, at this time, one should eat light, non-greasy foods to replenish the body's lost water and energy, and to help the stomach and intestines function normally. For those who really cannot eat or who are vomiting severely, they need to receive intravenous infusions of sugar and saline under a doctor's guidance.
Culprit No. 1: Crayfish
Diarrhea and high fever after eating crayfish
Recently, Mr. Li, who has become addicted to spicy crayfish, bought three pounds of spicy crayfish from a stall downstairs from his home for convenience. But who would have thought he would become so addicted. After eating it for three or four consecutive days, Mr. Li found himself constantly having stomach cramps. At first, he didn't pay much attention, thinking it was his long-standing "beer sickness." Later, after eating crayfish again, he experienced symptoms like diarrhea and a high fever at night, only then did he realize it was likely the spicy crayfish causing the trouble.
The reporter went to the crayfish stall next to the Jiamusi Road Market that Mr. Li mentioned to see for himself and found that three or four stalls were selling cooked crayfish. Amidst the smell from the street-side market and the turbid liquid overflowing from the sewers, the crayfish came out, bright red in an environment where flies were flying around. Around 6 p.m., a long line formed at the stall. In interviews with several diners, the reporter found that their awareness of food safety was generally weak; they believed that since it had been cooked over a high flame, there wouldn't be a big problem, as long as it was flavorful enough. The reporter learned from people in the catering industry that during the peak season for crayfish sales, many shops often prepare crayfish as "semi-finished products" in advance, then re-cook them to order when customers request them. Some unscrupulous owners even use dead crayfish to pass them off as live ones. [Expert Advice] Thoroughly cooking them makes them safe to eat
The on-duty doctor in the gastroenterology department of the Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital told reporters that it is not uncommon to see patients with diarrhea caused by eating crayfish this season; they encounter such cases almost every day in the outpatient clinic. Many patients also eat large amounts of ice cream after eating crayfish, making the risk of disease even greater. Generally, crayfish that have been dead for two or three hours will spoil and become rotten. After consumption, customers can easily suffer from food poisoning symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Chang Zhengshan, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Parasitic Diseases, believes that the hot and humid summer environment provides suitable conditions for the growth and reproduction of intestinal pathogens, leading to a large proliferation of bacteria on crayfish.