Article: Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is an infection with Salmonella bacteria. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 6 to 72 hours after infection. In most cases, the illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days - most affected persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

Symptoms

Symptoms are usually gastrointestinal including nausea, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea with mucus. Headache, fatigue and rose spots are also possible. These symptoms can be severe especially in the old and very young. Symptoms last generally up to a week, and can appear 6-72 hours after ingestion of the bacterium.

The bacterium induces responses in the animal that it is infecting and this is probably what causes the symptoms rather than any direct toxin.

Long-term effects

Some persons infected with Salmonella experience Reiter's syndrome, which can have long-lasting disabling effects such as arthritis.

See also: typhoid fever.

Source

• http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/salmonellosis_g.htm

This disease article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.