What the Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacteria that was discovered by an American scientist named Dr. Salmon and has been known to cause illness for over 125 years. Salmonella typically lives in animal intestines and are shed through feces, making food or water contamination the biggest cause for the spread of infection. Signs of Salmonella infection include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps that take place between 12 and 72 hours after exposure and can last 4-7 days. Most patients recover from “food poisoning” without treatment; however, in some cases, hospitalization may be necessary due to dehydration associated with diarrhea. In extreme cases, the infection can spread from the intestines into the bloodstream and may result in death if not treated promptly with antibiotics.

How Common is Salmonella Infection?

You may be thinking…. how likely is it for me to be infected? Answer: the CDC estimates1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths in the US every year. So who’s the culprit? The CDC estimates that out of these reported cases, 1 million illnesses, and 380 deaths were due to food contamination.

Raw meat, seafood, poultry: During butchering, feces particles may enter the raw meat that is then packaged and eaten. Seafood can be contaminated if the fish has been harvested from water ridden with feces.

Raw eggs: Although it may seem as if an egg is protected from a shell, salmonella can infect the egg before the shell has formed.

Fruits and Veggies: Some produce may be hydrated or processed using water contaminated with salmonella

Risk Factors also include international travel and owning a pet bird or reptile.

Are there Long-Term Consequences to a Salmonella Infection?

Although most infected with Salmonella recover completely, in some cases it may take several months to restore completely normal bowel movements. Some people can even develop pain in their joints known as reactive arthritis which can last up to months or even years. Although not as common, those who do develop reactive arthritis may also develop painful urination and irritated eyes.

In order to prevent infection WASH YOUR HANDS. KEEP FOODS SEPARATE. AND AVOID EATING RAW EGGS (yuck).