Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is a bacterial disease caused by strains of Salmonella bacteria. It is an enteric disease of varying severity, usually involving diarrhea.

Salmonella bacteria

There are many different Salmonella enterica serovars, most are considered pathogenic. The most common Salmonella serovars causing disease in humans are Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium.

Transmission of Salmonella

Poultry and other food animals can be asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella bacteria. The organisms colonise the intestinal tract and sometimes the reproductive tract of carrier birds. This can lead to contamination of carcasses and eggs meant for human consumption.

Food products posing the greatest risk of Salmonella poisoning:

Eggs and products containing raw eggs.
Undercooked poultry and handling of the raw meat.
Raw red meat and some products intended to be eaten raw.
Unpasteurised milk and products thereof.
Cross-contamination of all foodstuffs is possible if Salmonella is present in the environment.
Undercooking food or keeping food in a warm environment, increases the risk of infection.

Symptoms of Salmonellosis

Salmonella bacteria cause a mild to severe gastroenteritis.

The clinical course of Salmonellosis is usually characterized by:

acute onset of fever
abdominal pain
diarrhoea
nausea
sometimes vomiting.

Dehydration may be severe. Infection can be fatal in immuno-compromised individuals, the elderly or infants. Salmonella may be carried and spread by seemingly healthy individuals for a long time.

Treatment and prevention

Salmonellosis is usually self-limiting with full recovery within a couple of days. Maintaining hydration is important. Antibiotics and hospitalisation may be required if infection becomes systemic. Salmonellosis can be prevented by avoiding high risk foods and taking the proper precautions during the preparation and handling of food.

For more information see Prevention of Traveler’s Diarrhea

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