Salmonellosis is a disease caused by the bacteria Salmonella. It is usually characterized by acute onset of fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and sometimes vomiting.
Infection of humans with Salmonella results in three main infectious diseases, namely typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever and NTS. Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers are caused by S. Typhi and Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi (S. Paratyphi), respectively, and are characterized by gastroenteritis and complications such as septicaemia, immunological symptoms, leukopenia and neurological symptoms.
Prevention requires control measures at all stages of the food chain, from agricultural production, to processing, manufacturing and preparation of foods in both commercial establishments and at home.
The contact between infants/young children and pet animals that may be carrying Salmonella (such as cats, dogs, and turtles) needs careful supervision.
Generally, gram negative bacteria such as Salmonella are susceptible to many disinfectants including 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, 70% propanol, 2% glutaraldehyde, and 4% formaldehyde, as well as phenol, peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, quaternary ammonium compounds, and iodophors.
They can also be killed by moist heat (121°C [250°F] for a minimum of 15 min) or dry heat (170°C [338°F] for at least 1 hour). Salmonellae are also susceptible to ozone.
Other strategies for enteric fever prevention include improving sanitation, ensuring the safety of food and water supplies, identification and treatment of chronic carriers of Salmonella serovar Typhi, and the use of typhoid vaccines to reduce the susceptibility of hosts to infection or disease.
Prevention of salmonellosis
