Common Foodborne and Diarrheal Illnesses | Vermont Department of Health
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:08
Common Foodborne and Diarrheal Illnesses | Vermont Department of Health
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Common Foodborne and Diarrheal Illnesses
Foodborne & Diarrheal Illnesses
Common Foodborne and Diarrheal Illnesses
Norovirus and Managing Outbreaks
Some germs (viruses, bacteria, and parasites) affect your stomach and intestines and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. These
foodborne and diarrheal infections
, or enteric illnesses, are spread by eating contaminated food ("food poisoning"), drinking or swimming in contaminated water, touching animals or their environments, or coming into contact with the feces (poop) of an infected person.
Anyone can get sick from these germs. Some people are more likely to have a serious illness. This includes children under five years old, adults aged 65 and older, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems.
In Vermont, the most common foodborne and diarrheal infections are:
Campylobacter
Cryptosporidium
(crypto)
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Norovirus
(sometimes called "stomach bug")
Salmonella
Shigella
Important Links
Botulism (CDC)
Listeria (CDC)
Vibriosis (CDC)
Always practice good handwashing, handle food safely, and stay home when you're sick.
Get more everyday tips to protect yourself
What to do if you have diarrhea
Drink plenty of fluids.
Eat a well-balanced diet.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Stay home and don't prepare food or drinks for others until all symptoms have been gone for 24 hours.
Contact your health care provider if you are concerned. They may recommend an over-the-counter medicine to help slow down diarrhea.
Campylobacter Infections
Campylobacteriosis infection is caused by
Campylobacter
bacteria. It's the most common bacterial cause of diarrheal illness in the U.S. More cases occur in the summer than in winter.
People who are sick with
Campylobacter
infection usually have diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and stomach cramps. Nausea and vomiting may accompany the diarrhea. Symptoms typically begin two to five days after infection and last about one week. Most people recover on their own, but some may need antibiotics.
Learn more about
Campylobacter
from CDC
In Vermont,
Campylobacter
infection outbreaks have been linked to drinking unpasteurized (raw) milk, eating undercooked chicken livers, or having contact with an infected animal.
Download the factsheet
Cryptosporidium (Crypto)
Infections
Cryptosporidiosis (or "Crypto" for short) is an illness caused by a parasite called
Cryptosporidium
. Anyone can get sick with Crypto, but people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe and potentially life-threatening symptoms.
The most common symptom of cryptosporidiosis is watery diarrhea. Other symptoms may include stomach cramps or pain, dehydration, nausea, vomiting, fever and weight loss. Symptoms typically begin two to 10 days after becoming infected and last about 1-2 weeks. Most people recover without treatment.
Learn more about Crypto from CDC
Escherichia coli (E. coli) Infections
Escherchia coli
(
E. coli
) bacteria normally live in the intestines of animals and humans. Most
E. coli
are harmless, but some kinds of
E. coli
can make people very sick. Shiga toxin-producing
E. coli
(STEC) is the one most commonly heard about in the news concerning foodborne outbreaks.
People get sick from swallowing tiny (usually invisible) amounts of human or animal feces. Some foods carry a high risk of infection and should be avoided, like unpasteurized (raw) milk, unpasteurized apple cider, and soft cheeses made from raw milk.
Symptoms usually begin 3-4 days after exposure. Symptoms often begin slowly with mild belly pain or non-bloody diarrhea that worsens over several days. The illness typically lasts five to 10 days. Most people fully recover, but some may develop serious complications.
Learn more about
E. Coli
at CDC
Say No to Raw Dough
When making cookies, brownies, cakes or bread, you may be tempted to taste a bite of the raw dough before it's fully baked. But raw dough can contain germs like
E. Coli
that make you sick. Don't eat raw dough or batter, including homemade play dough for crafts.
Learn more at CDC
Norovirus Infections
Norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea in the United States. Anyone can get infected and sick with norovirus, which spreads easily and quickly. Norovirus is sometimes called the “stomach flu” or “stomach bug.” However, it is not related to the flu.
Norovirus infections can happen at any time of year, but they occur more often during winter. Common settings of outbreaks include restaurants and catered events, schools and child cares, long-term care facilities, and cruise ships.
Symptoms usually start 12-48 hours after being exposed to the virus. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Most people with norovirus get better within 1-3 days.
Antibiotics
will not help treat norovirus infections because they fight bacteria, not viruses.
Learn more about preventing norovirus and managing outbreaks
Hand sanitizer doesn't work well against norovirus!
You can use hand sanitizers in addition to hand washing, but hand washing is best at killing germs like norovirus.
Salmonella
Infections
Salmonellosis is an illness caused by bacteria called
Salmonella
. You can get
Salmonella
from eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, or from touching infected animals, their feces, or their environment. Many types of
pets and farm animals
(including those found at fairs, petting zoos, and backyard flocks) can carry
Salmonella
and other germs that make people sick.
Symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after exposure and last 4-7 days. Symptoms usually include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment but some may have serious illnesses and need to be hospitalized. Babies, adults aged 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to have severe infections.
Learn more about
Salmonella
at CDC
Download the factsheet
Shigella
Infections
Shigella
bacteria cause an infection called shigellosis. Symptoms typically begin one to two days after exposure. The illness can last up to a week. Most people recover completely, although sometimes people are sick enough to be hospitalized. Symptoms include fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea (which can sometimes be bloody).
Learn more about
Shigella
at CDC
Practice Safer Sex
Germs like
Shigella
can spread easily to other people through sexual contact. People with an infection might have
Shigella
on their skin in the anal and genital areas, including the thighs and buttocks. You can't tell if someone has germs in these areas just by looking at the skin. If you or your partner has diarrhea that lasts more than three days, do not have sex. It's recommended to wait at least three weeks after diarrhea ends. Take steps to reduce contact with poop during sex, like washing your hands, genitals, and anus with soap and water before and after.
Learn more from CDC
More Resources
Campylobacter Fact Sheet
Salmonella Fact Sheet
Norovirus Outbreak Resources
Swimming-related Illnesses (CDC)
Handwashing Poster
Report Food Poisoning
Food Recalls and Alerts (FDA)
Topics:
Antibiotic Resistance
|
Disease Reporting
|
Food Safety
|
Foodborne Illness
|
Infectious Diseases
|
Reportable Diseases
|
Waterborne Illnesses
Last Updated:
January 8, 2026
Skip to main content
MENU
x
CLOSE
Translations for you
Common Foodborne and Diarrheal Illnesses
Foodborne & Diarrheal Illnesses
Common Foodborne and Diarrheal Illnesses
Norovirus and Managing Outbreaks
Some germs (viruses, bacteria, and parasites) affect your stomach and intestines and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. These
foodborne and diarrheal infections
, or enteric illnesses, are spread by eating contaminated food ("food poisoning"), drinking or swimming in contaminated water, touching animals or their environments, or coming into contact with the feces (poop) of an infected person.
Anyone can get sick from these germs. Some people are more likely to have a serious illness. This includes children under five years old, adults aged 65 and older, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems.
In Vermont, the most common foodborne and diarrheal infections are:
Campylobacter
Cryptosporidium
(crypto)
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Norovirus
(sometimes called "stomach bug")
Salmonella
Shigella
Important Links
Botulism (CDC)
Listeria (CDC)
Vibriosis (CDC)
Always practice good handwashing, handle food safely, and stay home when you're sick.
Get more everyday tips to protect yourself
What to do if you have diarrhea
Drink plenty of fluids.
Eat a well-balanced diet.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Stay home and don't prepare food or drinks for others until all symptoms have been gone for 24 hours.
Contact your health care provider if you are concerned. They may recommend an over-the-counter medicine to help slow down diarrhea.
Campylobacter Infections
Campylobacteriosis infection is caused by
Campylobacter
bacteria. It's the most common bacterial cause of diarrheal illness in the U.S. More cases occur in the summer than in winter.
People who are sick with
Campylobacter
infection usually have diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and stomach cramps. Nausea and vomiting may accompany the diarrhea. Symptoms typically begin two to five days after infection and last about one week. Most people recover on their own, but some may need antibiotics.
Learn more about
Campylobacter
from CDC
In Vermont,
Campylobacter
infection outbreaks have been linked to drinking unpasteurized (raw) milk, eating undercooked chicken livers, or having contact with an infected animal.
Download the factsheet
Cryptosporidium (Crypto)
Infections
Cryptosporidiosis (or "Crypto" for short) is an illness caused by a parasite called
Cryptosporidium
. Anyone can get sick with Crypto, but people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe and potentially life-threatening symptoms.
The most common symptom of cryptosporidiosis is watery diarrhea. Other symptoms may include stomach cramps or pain, dehydration, nausea, vomiting, fever and weight loss. Symptoms typically begin two to 10 days after becoming infected and last about 1-2 weeks. Most people recover without treatment.
Learn more about Crypto from CDC
Escherichia coli (E. coli) Infections
Escherchia coli
(
E. coli
) bacteria normally live in the intestines of animals and humans. Most
E. coli
are harmless, but some kinds of
E. coli
can make people very sick. Shiga toxin-producing
E. coli
(STEC) is the one most commonly heard about in the news concerning foodborne outbreaks.
People get sick from swallowing tiny (usually invisible) amounts of human or animal feces. Some foods carry a high risk of infection and should be avoided, like unpasteurized (raw) milk, unpasteurized apple cider, and soft cheeses made from raw milk.
Symptoms usually begin 3-4 days after exposure. Symptoms often begin slowly with mild belly pain or non-bloody diarrhea that worsens over several days. The illness typically lasts five to 10 days. Most people fully recover, but some may develop serious complications.
Learn more about
E. Coli
at CDC
Say No to Raw Dough
When making cookies, brownies, cakes or bread, you may be tempted to taste a bite of the raw dough before it's fully baked. But raw dough can contain germs like
E. Coli
that make you sick. Don't eat raw dough or batter, including homemade play dough for crafts.
Learn more at CDC
Norovirus Infections
Norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea in the United States. Anyone can get infected and sick with norovirus, which spreads easily and quickly. Norovirus is sometimes called the “stomach flu” or “stomach bug.” However, it is not related to the flu.
Norovirus infections can happen at any time of year, but they occur more often during winter. Common settings of outbreaks include restaurants and catered events, schools and child cares, long-term care facilities, and cruise ships.
Symptoms usually start 12-48 hours after being exposed to the virus. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Most people with norovirus get better within 1-3 days.
Antibiotics
will not help treat norovirus infections because they fight bacteria, not viruses.
Learn more about preventing norovirus and managing outbreaks
Hand sanitizer doesn't work well against norovirus!
You can use hand sanitizers in addition to hand washing, but hand washing is best at killing germs like norovirus.
Salmonella
Infections
Salmonellosis is an illness caused by bacteria called
Salmonella
. You can get
Salmonella
from eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, or from touching infected animals, their feces, or their environment. Many types of
pets and farm animals
(including those found at fairs, petting zoos, and backyard flocks) can carry
Salmonella
and other germs that make people sick.
Symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after exposure and last 4-7 days. Symptoms usually include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment but some may have serious illnesses and need to be hospitalized. Babies, adults aged 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to have severe infections.
Learn more about
Salmonella
at CDC
Download the factsheet
Shigella
Infections
Shigella
bacteria cause an infection called shigellosis. Symptoms typically begin one to two days after exposure. The illness can last up to a week. Most people recover completely, although sometimes people are sick enough to be hospitalized. Symptoms include fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea (which can sometimes be bloody).
Learn more about
Shigella
at CDC
Practice Safer Sex
Germs like
Shigella
can spread easily to other people through sexual contact. People with an infection might have
Shigella
on their skin in the anal and genital areas, including the thighs and buttocks. You can't tell if someone has germs in these areas just by looking at the skin. If you or your partner has diarrhea that lasts more than three days, do not have sex. It's recommended to wait at least three weeks after diarrhea ends. Take steps to reduce contact with poop during sex, like washing your hands, genitals, and anus with soap and water before and after.
Learn more from CDC
More Resources
Campylobacter Fact Sheet
Salmonella Fact Sheet
Norovirus Outbreak Resources
Swimming-related Illnesses (CDC)
Handwashing Poster
Report Food Poisoning
Food Recalls and Alerts (FDA)
Topics:
Antibiotic Resistance
|
Disease Reporting
|
Food Safety
|
Foodborne Illness
|
Infectious Diseases
|
Reportable Diseases
|
Waterborne Illnesses
Last Updated:
January 8, 2026