Such substances are formed in the bowel but, if absorbed, are detoxified by the liver and can only cause trouble in liver failure.
Traveller’s diarrhoea is usually regarded as being spread by contaminated water. It is unusual in the developed countries, where the standard of personal hygiene is high and proper government measures are taken to assure a clean water supply.
There is still considerable argument about the causative agents. E. coli is a normal inhabitant of the human and animal bowel and many cases of traveller’s diarrhoea are believed to be due to virulent strains of this organism to which the local inhabitants have become immune.
Staphylococcus is a germ which causes boils and other skin infections. Someone with these conditions may infect food by handling it and the toxin could be absorbed and cause severe symptoms if the food is eaten.
Botulism is another disease caused by such a toxin. The offending germ grows only in conditions where there is virtually no oxygen.
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