 Salmonellosis is an infection with Salmonella
bacteria. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever,
vomiting, and abdominal cramps 6 to 72 hours after infection. In most cases, the
illness usually lasts 3 to 7 days - most affected persons recover without
treatment. However, in some persons the diarrhea may be so severe that the
patient becomes dangerously dehydrated and must be taken to a hospital. At the
hospital, the patients will receive intravenous fluids to treat their
dehydration and medications may be given to provide symptomatic relief, like
fever reduction. In severe cases, the Salmonella infection may spread from the
intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death
unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants,
and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.
Some people afflicted with Salmonellosis later experience reactive arthritis,
which can have long-lasting, disabling effects.
The type of salmonella usually associated with infections in humans is called
Non-Typhoidal Salmonella. It is usually contracted by ingesting raw or
undercooked eggs, or from animals such as:
- Chickens and cows, if the meat is prepared incorrectly or becomes infected
with the bacteria somehow.
- Infected eggs and milk, as well as egg products, when not prepared,
handled, or refrigerated correctly.
- Reptiles such as turtles, lizards, and iguanas, as they can carry the
bacteria on their skin.
Another, rarer form of salmonella is called Typhoidal Salmonella. It is
carried by humans only and is usually contracted through direct contact with the
fecal matter of an infected person. This kind of salmonella infection can lead
to typhoid fever. It therefore mainly occurs in developing and undeveloped
countries that do not have appropriate systems for handling human waste.
Etymology
Both Salmonellosis and the Salmonella genus of microorganisms get their name
from a modern Latin coining after Daniel E. Salmon (1850–1914), an American
veterinary surgeon.
Symptoms
The bacterium induces responses in the animal that it is infecting and this is
probably what causes the symptoms rather than any direct toxin. They are usually
gastrointestinal including nausea, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea with mucus.
Headache, fatigue and rose spots are also possible. These symptoms can be severe
especially in the old and very young. Symptoms last generally up to a week, and
can appear 6 to 72 hours after bacterium ingestion.
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