2. What is salmonellis? What causes it?
Salmonellosis is an illnes caused by Salmonella
( Bacteria ). If the bacteria find their way into
the person’s stomach and intestines, they can
cause cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
There are several different types , or strains, of
salmonella, bacteria, and they all can make you
sick.
3. The agent that causes salmonellosis
The bacteria salmonella can be
found in foods such as eggs ,
milk, chicken, turkey, beef or
pork. For example we can find
salmonella in foods which have
not been handled or prepared
well. It also can be found in raw
foods that touched animal poop.
If these foods are not
processed or cooked well, the
bacteria stays alive in the food
and can infect someone who
eats it.
4. Types of salmonellosis
There are several types of salmonellosis.
Scientists have discovered more than
2400 types of salmonellosis bacteria.
The type responsible for most
infections in humans is carried by
chickens, cows, pigs, and reptiles .
Another, rarer form —
called Salmonella Typhi (S.Typhi) —
causes typhoid fever. People usually
get typhoid fever by drinking
beverages or eating food that has
been handled by someone who has
typhoid fever or is a carrier of the
illness.
5. Symptoms of salmonellosis
People who get salmonellosis may
have these symptoms:
•Nausea
•Vomiting
•Painful stomach cramps
Salmonellosis also may cause
headache and fever. Keep in mind
that other illneses also can cause all
these symptoms, so it’s important to
tell your parents and see a doctor to
figure out if you have salmonellosis.
6. Solutions
If a healthy kid has salmonellosis and the
symptoms aren’t too bad, the doctor
might say that not special medicine or
treatment is necessary. The symptoms
usually last a few days and most people
feel pretty good again within a week.
What will the doctor do?
To diagnose salmonellosis, a doctor will
examinate you and ask questions like,
what you might have eaten recently. The
doctor might ask you for a stool
sample ( some poop ), which can be
sent to a lab and tested for salmonella
bacteria.
7. How to prevent salmonellosis
Make an special effort to
wash your hands in these
situations:
• Right after playing with a
pet or animal ( animal or
chicken )
• Right after you use the
bathroom
• Before preparing any food,
like cutting up vegetables
for dinner.
• Before eating any food.
