Salmonellosis is a type of food poisoning caused by the salmonella bacterium. There are many different kinds of these bacteria; Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis are the most common types in the United States.

Every year, approximately 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the U.S.1 Because many milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections may be 30 or more times greater.1 Salmonellosis is more common in the summer than winter. Children are the most likely to get salmonellosis; young children, older adults, and people with impaired immune systems are the most likely to have severe infections.

What causes salmonellosis?
You can get salmonellosis by eating food contaminated with salmonella. This can happen in the following ways:

1.Food may be contaminated during food processing or food handling.
2.Food may become contaminated by the unwashed hands of an infected food handler. A frequent cause is a food handler 3.who does not wash his or her hands with soap after using the bathroom.
4.Salmonella may also be found in the feces of some pets, especially those with diarrhea. You can become infected if you do not wash your hands after contact with these feces.
5.Reptiles are particularly likely to carry salmonella, and you should always wash your hands immediately after handling a reptile, even if the reptile is healthy. Adults should also be careful that children wash their hands after handling a reptile.
Beef, poultry, milk, and eggs are most often infected with salmonella. However, vegetables may also be contaminated. Contaminated foods usually look and smell normal.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. They develop 12 to 72 hours after infection, and the illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment. However, diarrhea and dehydration may be so severe that it is necessary to go to the hospital. Older adults, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are at highest risk.

If you only have diarrhea, you usually recover completely, although it may be several months before your bowel habits are entirely normal. A small number of people who are infected with salmonellosis develop Reiter's syndrome, a disease that can last for months or years and can lead to chronic arthritis.

How is salmonellosis diagnosed?
Salmonellosis is diagnosed based on a medical history and physical exam. Your health professional will ask you questions about your symptoms, foods you have recently eaten, and your work and home environments. A stool culture and blood tests may be done to confirm the diagnosis.

How is it treated?
You treat salmonellosis by managing any complications until it passes. Dehydration caused by diarrhea is the most common complication. Antibiotics are not usually needed unless the infection has spread.

To prevent dehydration, take frequent sips of a rehydration drink (such as Lytren, Rehydralyte, or Pedialyte). Try to drink a cup of water or rehydration drink for each large, loose stool you have. Sports drinks, soda pop, and fruit juice contain too much sugar and not enough of the important electrolytes that are lost during diarrhea and should only be taken alternately with a rehydration drink.

When you feel well enough, begin eating mild, low-fat foods, such as bananas, rice, applesauce, or dry toast or crackers. This is called the BRAT diet. Avoid spicy foods, other fruits, alcohol, and coffee for 2 days and dairy products for 3 days after all symptoms have disappeared.