Salmonella Disease – Symptoms and Ways of Prevention

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that causes the salmonella disease or salmonellosis. An infection with salmonella causes symptoms that are usually severe. Even though it lasts maximum one week, if the symptoms are severe, the infected person has to be hospitalized. Otherwise, it is possible to encounter complications and other health problems. It is important to mention that the infection lasts between four and seven days, but the recovery period may last for several months. One of the most common side effects of salmonella is dehydration. If not treated, salmonella disease leads to death. Antibiotics must be used immediately in case of infection with salmonella.

Symptoms

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Abdominal cramps
• Headache
• Chills
• Blood in the stool

The bacteria have many varieties, a few of them may lead to typhoid fever and enteric fever. The symptoms above describe the action of the majority of these bacteria, which provoke gastroenteritis.

Ways of Prevention

• Wash your hands thoroughly

This is the most important way of preventing salmonella disease, as well as other diseases. It is not enough to wash your hands only with water and to use the antibacterial gel from time to time. It is necessary to wash your hands with soap and water, especially before you cook and you eat. Moreover, never leave the toilet without washing your hands thoroughly.

Always wash your hands with water and soap after petting an animal. Even reptiles can be contaminated with salmonella.

• Keep your kitchen safe and clean

When you cook, pay special attention to hygiene if you handle raw meat. Raw meat may contain salmonella, so don’t use the same cutlery and cooking utensils that you used for the meat on other foods. Also, clean your kitchen regularly.

• Avoid raw eggs

Raw eggs can be easily infected with salmonella. If they are infected and you eat them raw, you will get the infection for sure. It is recommended to avoid using raw eggs, even if some recipes demand this. Even if it is homemade mayonnaise or ice cream, don’t use raw eggs. Pay attention to the products that you buy, if they contain raw eggs, you should better choose an alternative.

• Organize your fridge

Even if you avoid the consumption of raw meat and eggs, you may get infected with salmonella if you are not careful at how you deposit the foods. If the fridge contains foods that you are going to eat raw, such as vegetables and fruits, don’t keep them next to the raw meat and eggs. They may become contaminated if you do this. So, keep your foods organized and separate the foods with a high risk of salmonella from the other ones. If you decide to reorganize the fridge, wash it thoroughly before getting it filled with foods again.

• Avoid unpasteurized milk

Milk may also be infected with salmonella, so avoid drinking unpasteurized milk. You may use it when you cook, but don’t use it raw.