School Kids Hospitalized After Eating Food Possibly Contaminated By Snake

Thirty children have become sick after eating a meal at their school that was potentially contaminated by a snake.

The school children consumed the food on Monday at their school in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India.

"We had to rush the children to Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital as they started vomiting," a school staffer who had prepared the meal said, as reported by The Hindu.

The same member of staff also told reporters that a snake was found in one of the food containers that had originally been filled with lentils. Images of the container were posted to social media, showing the snake in it.

The children may have been experiencing food poisoning from the meal, which can result in symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, toxins or parasites contaminating food.

This can occur in a large number of ways, according to the The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Primarily, food poisoning results from eating food that has been prepared by someone with poor handwashing hygiene, in areas that have not been disinfected or if food is stored incorrectly and left to spoil.

Common bacteria that cause food poisoning include campylobacter, which is found in undercooked poultry and shellfish, E. coli, which can grow in unpasteurized milk and juice, and salmonella, which is present in some milk and egg products. Viruses like norovirus and rotavirus can also be spread via food, usually after being prepared by someone with the virus.

People usually recover from food poisoning in a few days but in rare cases complications can arise, including meningitis, kidney damage, brain damage and nerve damage.

While it is not certain that the snake was linked to the children becoming ill, it could well have contributed to the food poisoning: the snake may have touched substances contaminated with a large range of microorganisms on its way into the food container. Additionally, a high percentage of snakes and other reptiles are known to carry salmonella.

"It is important that people who handle snakes regularly or keep them as pets take appropriate precautions against becoming infected," Dr. Matthias Schröter of the Institute of Public Health, Northrhine Westphalia in Germany, said in a statement in 2006.

All but one of the children are now out of the hospital, with the remaining child in a good condition.

The school will be inspected by investigators, who will attempt to confirm what caused the children to get sick.

"I have informed the district inspector of primary schools who will visit on January 10," Block Development Officer Dipanjan Jana told reporters.

Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Do you have a question about food poisoning? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.