Abdominal pain, uncomfortable diarrhea, and antibiotics are ineffective... Every year at this time, the number of patients with acute diarrhea begins to rise sharply. Reporters learned from the gastroenterology and emergency departments of various hospitals in Shanghai that in the past few days, there has been a rapid increase in patients with gastrointestinal diseases, acute pancreatitis, and recurrent gout. The number of patients with acute diarrhea has increased tenfold or even more.
An investigation of many patients found that summer night stalls, spicy crayfish, seafood, and even ice beer, which are popular among citizens, are the main culprits.
Culprit One: Crayfish
Diarrhea and high fever after eating crayfish
Recently, Mr. Li, who has become addicted to spicy crayfish, bought three jin of spicy crayfish from a stall downstairs for convenience during the summer. But who knew he would become so addicted. After eating it for three or four consecutive days, Mr. Li found himself always experiencing stomach cramps. At first, he didn't pay much attention, thinking it was his long-standing beer-related illness. After eating crayfish again one night, he developed symptoms such as diarrhea and high fever, and only then did he realize that it was likely the spicy crayfish causing the trouble.
The reporter went to the crayfish stall near the Jiamusi Road market that Mr. Li mentioned to see for themselves. They found that three or four stalls were selling cooked crayfish. Amidst the smell from the street market and the filthy liquid overflowing from the sewers, the crayfish came out a vibrant red in an environment where flies were flying around. Around 6 p.m., a long queue 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 an industry insider that during the peak crayfish sales season, many shops usually prepare crayfish as "semi-finished products" in advance and then cook them to order when customers request them. Some unscrupulous owners even use dead crayfish to pass them off as live ones.
【Expert Advice】
Thorough cooking ensures safe consumption
A doctor on duty in the gastroenterology department of the 10th People's Hospital of Shanghai told reporters that it is not uncommon for people to suffer from diarrhea caused by eating crayfish this season. They encounter such cases in the clinic almost every day. Many patients also eat large amounts of ice cream after eating crayfish, which increases the risk of illness. Generally speaking, crayfish that have been dead for two to three hours will spoil and rot. Consuming them can easily lead to 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 parasitic on crayfish.