(NEXSTAR) — After numerous recalls related to tainted food and outbreaks of E. coli, salmonella, and listeria, it might be hard not to wonder if a sudden wave of queasiness and fever has anything to do with what you ate recently.

It’s worth noting that despite the seemingly brisk pace of food recalls and alerts this year, the U.S. ranks near the top when it comes to food safety.

But, as Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University told the Associated Press, “All food carries risk.” Just as there are measures you can take to cut your risk of foodborne illness, there are certain steps available if you believe you’ve been infected with such an illness.

The most important is seeking medical attention if you’re experiencing severe foodborne illness symptoms. That includes bloody diarrhea, diarrhea that lasts more than three days, a fever over 102°F, vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down, or signs of dehydration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explain.

If you do speak with a health care provider, they may decide to test you for certain illnesses. Should the test come back positive for a foodborne illness, the local health department would be notified, Dr. Laura Gieraltowski, the lead of the Foodborne Outbreak Response Team at the CDC, explained to Nexstar. (Foodborne illnesses like salmonella, E. coli, and listeria are........

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