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Germs in food and water that can make someone with HIV sick include Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, and Cryptosporidium. They can cause diarrhea, upset stomach, cramps, fever, headache, body aches, blood stream infections, meningitis or encephalitis. People with HIV may become extremely ill with these germs and may have a difficult time recovering.
- Tips to keep drinking water safe include:
- Don’t drink water directly from lakes, rivers, streams, or springs.
- Unless you are certain your tap water is safe, avoid drinking it or using ice from a refrigerator icemaker. Well water should be tested prior to use (contact the state health department).
- Always pay attention to special notices issued by local health departments regarding the safety of tap water.
- Consider boiling or filtering your water or drinking bottled water if unsure or if your CD4 count is extremely low. If you decide on this option, drink only bottled water when away from home.
- Remember that boiling is the best way to kill germs in the water. Heat your water to a rolling boil for one minute. After the boiled water cools, put it in a clean pitcher or bottle with a lid and store in the refrigerator. Use the water for drinking, cooking, or making ice. Water bottles and ice trays should be cleaned with soap and water before use.
- It is also important to keep food safe from contamination before eating it, especially with very low CD4 counts. Some helpful tips include:
- Eggs are safe to eat if they are well cooked. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are solid and not runny. Do not eat foods that may contain raw eggs, such as Hollandaise sauce, cookie dough, homemade mayonnaise, or Caesar salad dressing. If you prepare these foods at home, use pasteurized eggs found in the dairy case of your market rather than regular eggs.
- Raw fruits and vegetables are safe to eat if you wash them carefully first. Wash and then peel the fruit that you will eat raw. Increased risk of illness occurs when eating raw alfalfa sprouts and tomatoes so wash these especially well.
- Meat and poultry such as chicken or turkey and fish can make you sick if they are raw, undercooked, or spoiled. Cook all these until they are no longer pink in the middle. If you use a meat thermometer, the temperature in the middle of the meat should be 165 F. Fish should be cooked until it is flaky. After handling raw meat, poultry or fish, wash your hands well with soap and water before you touch any other food. Thoroughly wash cutting boards, cooking utensils, and countertops with soap and water after they have contacted raw meat, poultry or fish. Do not let uncooked meat, poultry, or fish or their juices touch other food or each other. Do not let them sit out at room temperature for more than a few minutes. Keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.
- Read food labels carefully when shopping for food. Be sure that all dairy products and fruit juices purchased have been pasteurized. Do not buy food that contains raw or undercooked meat or eggs if it is not meant to be cooked further. Be sure the “sell by” date has not passed.
- Put packaged meat, poultry or fish in separate plastic bags to prevent their juices from dripping onto other groceries. Check the package the food comes in to make sure it isn’t damaged.
- After shopping, put all cold and frozen foods into your refrigerator as soon as you can. Do not leave food sitting in the car. Leaving such food out for only a short while can give germs a chance to grow.
- Eating at restaurants can be safely managed if a few safety issues are addressed.
- Order all food well done. If meat is served pink or bloody send it back to the kitchen for more cooking. Fish should be flaky, not rubbery, when cut.
- Order fried eggs cooked on both sides. Avoid “sunny side up”. Scrambled eggs should be cooked until they are not runny. Do not order foods that may contain raw eggs such as Caesar salad or Hollandaise sauce. If you are unsure about the ingredients in a dish, ask the waiter before ordering.
- Do not order any raw or lightly steamed fish or shellfish, such as oysters, clams, mussels, sushi, or sashimi. All fish should be cooked until done.
- Avoid eating at salad bars whenever possible. The food may have been sitting out awhile and many people may have touched the food or the serving utensils.
- When eating while traveling in a foreign country, avoid fruits that you do not peel, salads, cooked foods that have cooled, non-boiled water, or ice.
[Keywords:HIV]
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