Salmonella
The Salmonella group of bacteria are a common cause of diarrheal illness among persons in the United States. These bacteria are often found in the digestive tract of a variety of animals as well as humans. Persons with salmonella infections often experience fever, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting in addition to diarrhea. Symptoms may persist for two weeks or more but are usually gone within a week.
Salmonella is present in the feces of ill and recently recovered persons and infections may be spread from person to person. Some foods, such as chicken, come from naturally infected sources, while others (such as tomatoes and some vegetables) are contaminated during processing. Food handlers may also contaminate food if they are infected or do not practice good hygiene in preparing food. An ordinarily safe food, such as baked goods, may become contaminated from juices of uncooked foods such as poultry. Although it has been known that salmonella may be present in cracked eggs for some time, it has been only recently that salmonella has been found in uncooked whole eggs. Given sufficient moisture and temperatures between 40° and 140° C, small numbers of salmonella will quickly increase to the point where they can cause illness in large numbers of persons.
In addition to foodborne illnesses, pets, especially animals such as turtles, lizards and birds, often carry salmonella in their digestive tracts.
Want more? Click here to search the rest of the GeoParent site for information on Salmonella!
 Directory of health articles
Directory of all articles
|
|
About this information: These definitions were provided by the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes for Health and other government health agencies. This information is for educational purposes only. If you are concerned about your health or your child's health, please consult your family's health care provider immediately. This information is not a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or treatment.
|
|
|
