Food epidemic toxicity in Sarajevo

Toxicity is a big problem in the countries in transition considering the fact that the food export is controlled at an extremely low level, as well as its circulation, storage, control over premises and workers being involved in selling and circulation of the food itself. The consequences of food toxicity might be lethal for children as well as for elderly people and they depend on cause factor and the poisoned patient is dehydrated, exhausted, with temperature and stomach pain, sometimes with entire body pain which means that the person in this state is not capable of carrying out any work; these patients recorded are usually younger people. Another danger might occur as the following factor and that is infectious disease (carrier). The aim of this paper is to present the case of the largest after-war food epidemic toxicity not only in BiH but also in Europe initiated by consuming perishable food at the 'Pomodorino' Cafe in the center of Sarajevo. All patients were analyzed who asked for aid at the Institute for Emergency Medical Aid in Sarajevo. The patients were analyzed in accordance with sex, age, day and hour of the toxicity incidence as well as therapy with need for sending them away to hospital. The aim of the paper is to refer to a large extent of dangers happening with food toxicity and to try to act preventatively so as to prevent this from frequenting and to show the significance of prehospital aid resulting in unburden hospitals and their capacities. Within EMA, Sarajevo, 227 cases of food toxicity were registered in the course of five days and 600 patients suffered from the same reason, all of them poisoned at the 'Pomodorino' Cafe.