Stomach bug? Don't just blame the last thing you ate

Most food-borne illnesses are caused by viruses or bacteria

It happens like a bolt out of the blue. One minute you’re fine, and the next you begin to sweat as crippling cramps move wavelike through your belly. You vomit or have diarrhea, or both, fearing you won’t live to see another day.
 

And then it goes away. You’re back to your old self, maybe after a day or two of binge-watching Netflix and chasing dry crackers with ginger ale.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates this scenario, known as an “acute gastrointestinal event,” happens to all of us at least once a year. The bouts, while extremely