A 23-year-old male patient presents to the OPD with nausea, vomiting, & four episodes of loose stools. On history taking, he reveals to have consumed food from a restaurant 3 hours back. The most likely etiologic organism is

Staphylococcus causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea 2-6 hrs after consuming contaminated food (other organisms causing food poisoning within the same time period of 2-6 hrs is Bacillus cereus-Emetic strains). Enterotoxin produced by Staphylococcus: It is a preformed toxin that is heat stable (Most of the other exotoxins are heat labile). Site of action: This toxin stimulates the vagus nerve and vomiting center of the brain and also stimulates the intestinal peristaltic activity. Most common type of enterotoxin: Type A. 1-6 hrs incubation period Staphylococcus aureus: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.source :Ham, poultry, potato, cream pastries, mayonnaise Bacillus cereus: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and source is Fried rice 8-16 hrs incubation period Clostridium perfringes Abdominal cramps, diarrhea and source:Beef, poultry, legume, gravies Bacillus cereus Abdominal cramps, diarrhea and source: Meats, vegetables, dried beans, cereals >16 hrs incubation period Vibrio cholerae Watery diarrhea Shellfish, and source:water Salmonella species Inflammatory diarrhea and source: Beef, poultry, eggs Reference: Ananthanarayan and Paniker&;s Textbook of Microbiology Tenth edition