Salmonella - What is It?

With the recent outbreak of salmonella, many people have increased concerns about what salmonella is, and how to prevent it.

Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped bacteria, and can cause gastric infections, also called salmonella. The bacteria is named for a veterinary pathologist who was the head of the Department of Agriculture research program, Daniel Elmer Salmon, whose name voices the "l." Therefore, it is pronounced SAL-mon-ell-uh. It was first described in 1885. Neither the bacteria or the disease has any particular relationship to the fish known as a salmon.

There are over a thousand species of salmonella bacteria, most of which cause no problem to humans. Even the problematic ones need to be ingested in significant quantities to create an infection. The acidity of the stomach will quickly kill any small amount that is swallowed.

If a high population of the bacteria enters the gastro-intestinal tract, enough will survive to multiply and cause symptoms similar to any other type of food poisoning. These include diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. Occasionally people will experience abdominal cramping. The dehydration resulting from the diarrhea is the most serious problem. Children and those with compromised immune systems are at highest risk. The death rate in the United States is about one in 4700 cases.

A salmonella bacteria is also the cause of typhoid fever. If some of the bacteria survive the body's immune reaction in the gastro-intestinal tract, they may migrate to the liver, spleen, and eventually the blood. Once there, the patient will experience high fever, inflammation of the stomach and intestines, and additional diarrhea. The symptoms usually resolve, but the person may become a carrier of the bacteria. With antibiotic treatment, typhoid is fatal in 1% of cases, but without treatment deaths can rise to 47%.

The biggest cause for the transmission of salmonella is poor hygiene and sanitation. Washing with soap and hot water after handling food can easily prevent infection. Washing fresh produce removes the bacteria. Salmonella is killed at temperatures around 167 degrees F. Therefore, thorough cooking will completely stop the possibility of infection.

Exact diagnosis of salmonella is made through fecal culture, as the general symptoms are indistinguishable from other types of food poisoning. It can be treated with antibiotics, although some strains are beginning to show resistance to treatment.

The bacteria is likely to be present on the surfaces of unwashed fruit and vegetables, and in raw meat. Eggs are often sources of infection because of the possibility of incomplete cleaning of animal feces from the egg shells before sale. It is slightly possible for eggs to become contaminated internally, but this is extremely rare. Reptiles and amphibians often have salmonella bacteria on their skin or in their near environment. This fact resulted in the banning, in 1975, of the sale of small turtles as pets in the United States.

If catching or keeping frogs, turtles, lizards etc. as pets or for observation, be sure to wash thoroughly after handling the animals.

As to foods, with any natural product, the responsibility for the spread of germs belongs with three entities. Farmers, whether small operators, or owners of "factory farms," should be ethical enough to operate in clean conditions. Regulators can impose standards for sanitation as regards agricultural products. Inspections and enforcement of these standards then becomes necessary. However, consumers should always be aware of the fact that agricultural products are natural incubators of all kinds of bacteria. Most of these are not harmful, but to control those which can cause disease, washing and cooking are simple and effective methods.

sources: MedicineNet.com, wikipedia, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cdc.gov