Salmonella: symptoms and infection
The ordinary symptoms of salmonellosis are abdominal pain, diarrhea, chills, frequent vomiting and prostration. However, there are instances in which much more severe symptoms may be encountered. The incubation period (time after ingesting the organisms until symptoms are evident) is 7 – 72 hr. In typhoid fever, the incubation period is 7 – 14 days.
Persons with salmonellosis often become carriers of the organism for a period of time after they recovered from the disease. That is, they continue to discharge the organisms in their feces. Because of this, carriers often contaminate their hands with these organisms that may not be removed completely even after thorough washing.
Hence, if carriers handle foods that after to be eaten by others they may contaminate them with these bacteria, and in this manner, transmit the disease to others.
In most cases the carrier stage does not persist longer than 12 weeks after symptoms with salmonellosis and for shorter periods with typhoid fever. However, there are isolated cases in which the carrier stage lasts much longer than 12 weeks and 2 -5 % of those ill with typhoid fever may become permanent carriers.
The salmonella bacteria are rod-shaped; they do not form spores, and thus are not especially heat resistant. They are motile (can move about in the water, in foods or other materials in which they are found) and will grow either with or without air (oxygen).
At the present time, more than 2,000 types of Salmonella bacteria are known, all of which are considered to be ineffective to man. Obviously, these organisms are very widespread.
Whereas it is considered that many Salmonella bacteria must be taken in to cause the disease in a normal adult, it is known that the very old and especially the very young may contract the disease after ingesting (eating) only a few of these organism. Therefore, any food, especially a food that can be eaten without cooking, should be kept essentially free of these bacteria.
Salmonella: symptoms and infection
