HealthLink BC File #17, May 2009

Salmonellosis

• What is Salmonellosis?
• How is Salmonellosis spread?
• How do I prevent Salmonellosis?
• How do I control Salmonellosis?
• How is Salmonellosis treated?

English French Spanish Chinese Punjabi Vietnamese

What is Salmonellosis?

Salmonellosis is a food borne infection caused by Salmonella bacteria. These bacteria infect the gut lining of the stomach and multiply in the small intestine.

Symptoms such as sudden stomach pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea and vomiting are common. Dehydration may be severe, especially among babies or children

How is Salmonellosis spread?

Illness may occur after a person eats food or drinks water contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Symptoms usually occur within 12 to 72 hours and usually last 4 to 7 days.

• Salmonella may be found in humans and wild or domestic animals. Both humans and animals can have the bacteria and yet appear healthy. One way the disease spreads is through the "fecal-oral" route; bacteria are shed in the feces of infected people or animals and these can get into food or drink through poor sanitation.
• Salmonella is also commonly found in food, such as raw or undercooked meat and meat products, poultry (such as chicken and turkey), raw sausages and unpasteurized dairy products. It can also be found in raw eggs and raw or undercooked egg products.
• Cooked, ready-to-eat food can be contaminated when using the same cutting board, plate or utensil to prepare other food items, such as raw meat. Cutting boards, plates and utensils must always be washed and sanitized immediately before cooked or ready-to-eat foods are placed on them.

How do I prevent Salmonellosis?

• Always wash your hands after you use the bathroom.
• Do not let anyone prepare food that has a Salmonella infection or stomach illness.
• Wash your hands before, during and after preparing food.
• Thoroughly cook all foods that come from animal sources, particularly poultry, egg products and meat dishes.
• Cook meats and poultry to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F). Use a meat thermometer to make sure the meat is cooked to the proper temperature.
• If turkey or chicken is cooked with stuffing in it, make sure that both the meat and the stuffing are well cooked to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F).
• Do not re-contaminate cooked foods: place them on clean, sanitized surfaces which have not been used before to prepare other food.
• Do not let raw or cooked foods sit for a long time at room temperature.
• Do not eat raw eggs, such as in eggnogs or homemade ice cream; use whole pasteurized egg products for these and other foods that are not cooked thoroughly.
• Never use dirty or cracked eggs.
• Use only pasteurized milk and milk products.
• Educate food handlers and persons who prepare food about the importance of the following:
• keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold;
• wash hands before, during and after food preparation;
• keep a clean kitchen; and
• protect prepared foods from rodent and insect contamination.


• For more information, go to www.canfightbac.org
• Some domestic animals and pets, such as chicks, ducklings, turtles, snakes and iguanas, can carry the Salmonella bacteria. Wash your hands well after handling these animals or pets and help young children wash their hands. The same applies for visiting petting zoos.

How do I control Salmonellosis?

• See your family doctor.
• If local health officials think there is a salmonellosis outbreak in your community, they will conduct an in-depth investigation.
• Do not let infected individuals handle food until the infection is over and follow-up stool samples show they are clear of Salmonella bacteria.
• Wash your hands well. It is the best way to protect yourself and others from illness.

How is Salmonellosis treated?

If you have been infected, you may be asked to answer detailed questions and to submit a fecal or stool sample (bowel movement).

Your family doctor may prescribe antibiotics if you have a severe case of Salmonellosis, another chronic illness or a poor immune system. For more information, visit www.dobugsneeddrugs.org/.

Complete List of HealthLink BC File Topics