What is salmonella food poisoning?
A salmonella bacterium is a one-celled organism that cannot be seen, touched or tasted. It is commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals, but can also be found on raw meats, poultry, eggs and unpasteurised milk.
Salmonella food poisoning can occur if live salmonella bacteria enter the body. The bacteria can attach to the cells lining the intestines, where they produce toxins and attack the intestinal cells.
How is it spread?
Animals become infected with the bacteria by direct contact with other animals, by consuming contaminated feed or water or through grass, wild birds and rats. Humans acquire the bacteria from contaminated foods such as beef products, poultry, eggs and egg products.
In the kitchen salmonella may be transferred from raw to cooked food by hands, contact with kitchen surfaces and equipment.
What are the symptoms?
Diarrhoea, cramps, vomiting, fever, general malaise. The incubation period is 12-36 hours. It is sometimes severe and admission to hospital may be necessary, particularly for the elderly, the very young or someone with an existing illness.
In some of these cases it may be fatal.
How long is a person infectious?
Humans can be carriers, having and transmitting the disease without showing symptoms, and shed the disease in the faeces for up to one year. A person with salmonella food poisoning can pass the disease to others for up to several months. This occurs by inadequate hand-washing after toilet use.
Treatment
At the onset of symptoms, people should visit their GP who will ask for a stool sample and about the food products they have eaten. The doctor will monitor the patient's condition and in severe cases admit the patient to hospital.
Generally, people recover from the illness without needing antibiotics or hospital treatment. However antibiotic resistance is becoming an increasing difficulty in the treatment of salmonella poisoning.
In the recent outbreak in Dundrum in Dublin the strain of salmonella which made people ill was resistant to six antibiotics.
How do you prevent salmonella infection?
Never let raw meat and poultry or their juices come into contact with cooked meat or any other food - raw or cooked.
Cook food thoroughly.
Practise good personal hygiene and thorough hand-washing.
Keep hot foods hot, and cold foods cold.
Wash cutting boards, counters and knives after using them for raw meat and poultry.
Never store cooked foods next to uncooked foods.
Keep pets away from food and eating surfaces and equipment.
Thaw frozen meat/poultry overnight in a fridge.