What should be done if I suspect that I may be infected with a foodborne disease?
If you develop gastrointestinal illness (i.e. diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, etc…) and believe your symptoms may have been caused by food, you may need to visit your medical provider or a hospital, depending upon the severity of your symptoms. Upon a visit to a healthcare professional/facility, a stool specimen may be collected to test at a laboratory to help determine if you have been infected with a particular foodborne disease. Another consideration would be to report your concern to the Virginia Department of Health or Virginia Department of Agriculture, depending upon the source of the food product you suspect may have caused your illness. The health department is responsible for inspecting restaurants and licensed caterers. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is responsible for inspecting other types of food retail establishments, such as grocery stores and delicatessens with limited seating capacity. When contacting the health department
