Salmonellosis

What is Salmonellosis?

• The most common foodborne illness
• A one-celled organism (usually Typhimurium and Enteritidis) known as salmonella
• Common to the intestinal tracts of many warm-blooded animals, including cows and chickens; sometimes found in the feces of animals and infected humans
• Salmonella Newport was discovered by the National Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), an interactive agency cooperative consisting of the CDC, FDA, and USDA

Typical Symptoms

• Fever
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Rarely, death

Most at risk

• Young children
• Elderly
• Immunocompromised

How is it Spread?

• Through food contaminated with animal feces
• Through direct or indirect contact with infected individuals
• Examples
• Presence of the bacterium in the water supply
• If an infected person does not wash his/her hands properly after using the toilet, bacteria may be passed by physical contact or by handling food
• Cross-contamination: utensils used on uncooked foods such as meats or eggs could spread the bacteria if then used on produce to be eaten raw