What is salmonella?
Salmonella is a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria associated with food poisoning. According to the WHO, this bacteria is one of the top four causes of diarrheal disease in the world [1, 2].
More than 2500 serotypes of Salmonella enterica are known. Out of them, less than 100 can infect humans [3]. Infection with Salmonella leads to gastroenteritis, which is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. In severe cases, most commonly outside of the US, infection can cause typhoid fever [1].
Salmonella is transmitted via direct contact with an infected person or indirectly through ingesting infected water and food. It is often spread by raw or undercooked meat, eggs, and their products [3, 4].
What are the symptoms of salmonella?
Salmonella infection typically presents symptoms within 3 days after the ingestion of the pathogen [1].
- diarrhea, can be bloody,
- stomach cramps,
- fever, in some cases above 100 °F,
- nausea and vomiting,
- headaches and chills,
- loss of appetite [1, 7].
In severe cases, frequent diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration [7]. The symptoms usually last 4-7 days [5]. The infection can sometimes become chronic, with symptoms lasting months or longer [4].
In severe cases, Salmonella can enter the bloodstream, leading to bacteremia, which can potentially cause septic shock. It can also cause meningitis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and septic arthritis [1, 4].
In rare cases, Salmonella infection can result in Reiter’s syndrome (reactive arthritis) [1].
How can you get salmonella?
You can get Salmonella by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. The most common sources of infection are raw and undercooked poultry, meat, seafood, unpasteurized dairy products, and eggs. However, eating contaminated vegetables or fruits can also cause an infection [1, 6, 7].
You can also get an infection through the fecal-oral route for another person. For example, when you do not wash your hands after using the bathroom. Later, when you touch your mouth with unwashed hands, the bacteria from your hands can spread to your gastrointestinal tract [1, 6, 7].
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Can you get Salmonella from beef?
Yes, it is possible to get Salmonella from beef. Salmonella can inhabit the gastrointestinal tract of healthy cattle and can transfer to beef meat during the butchering process [8].
In Mexico, Salmonella was found in 18% of beef carcasses, 39% of beef chunks, and 71% of ground beef samples [8]. Another study found many salmonella-positive samples. Among them were 96% of hide samples, 47% of the carcasses before the intervention, 18% of the lymph nodes, 7.14% of the trim, and 1.67% of the ground beef samples [9].
In the twenty-first century, ground beef has become a significant spread factor of Salmonella. Nearly half of the beef-caused cases in the years 2002-11 in the US were transmitted by ground beef [10]. To minimize the risk of salmonella infection from beef, always cook the meat properly and follow the handling rules.
What is the diagnosis and treatment of Salmonella?
The diagnosis of Salmonella is based on a physical examination and your medical history. The doctor needs to evaluate information such as the type of symptoms, their duration, and other conditions you may have [1, 11].
After the initial recognition, the doctor typically requests a stool sample analysis. If suspicion arises that Salmonella is present in the blood, this should also be examined [1, 11].
Some of the modern techniques used to look for Salmonella in samples are polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests or high-resolution melt analysis. These tests allow for very accurate and fast detection of any specific bacteria in a sample [12, 13].
The treatment of most cases of Salmonella is based on supportive care that includes fluid replacement. Antibiotic therapy is usually revered only for severe cases, newborns and infants, and immunocompromised patients [11].
When antibiotics are required, the choice of medication should be guided by the susceptibility tests [1, 14]. Typically, Salmonella can be treated with ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and azithromycin [15, 11, 16].