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Bacteria from the Salmonella group are very common causes of food poisoning. The source of infection is primarily food products, mainly proteins, i.e. meat and its products, milk and its products, eggs and delicatessen products. Salmonella infection can occur due to improper food storage or due to poor dietary hygiene.
Salmonella food poisoning
Food poisoning is very often caused by bacteria belonging to the group Salmonella enterica. These poisonings are very dangerous because they can cause joint diseases and infection of internal organs. Currently, a large increase in the number of food poisonings is observed, which is related to the development of a large number of food and poultry processing plants. In Poland, from 20 to 30 new poisonings are recorded every year. Infection may occur during food storage (e.g. contamination with faeces of mice or rats), as well as with insufficiently maintained hygiene of both collective and individual nutrition. The most common symptoms of salmonella food poisoning are acute abdominal pain accompanied by diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Muco-bloody discharge may also appear in the stools.
What are the causes of salmonella food poisoning?
As mentioned above, Salmonella infection occurs as a result of eating contaminated products, e.g. with animal faeces (poultry, rats, mice), but also after eating meat or milk from diseased animals. The most common food poisoning occurs when we eat products that contain raw eggs, such as ice cream, mayonnaise, creams and even soups for babies. The same applies to, for example, insufficiently heat-treated minced meat. Salmonella poisoning can also occur as a result of direct contact with the faeces of people who are carriers of the bacteria or during a stay in a hospital, where there was contact with a disinfected thermometer / underwear.
The following are most exposed to food poisoning by salmonella:
- babies,
- newborns,
- medical workers,
- hospitalized persons,
- people with reduced immunity,
- people taking antibiotics or who have had surgery.
IMPORTANT! Salmonella can also cause typhus or paratyphoid fever, up to 20 bacteria are enough to poison it.
Symptoms of food salmonella poisoning
The first symptoms of poisoning may appear about 8 hours after eating contaminated food. People suffering from food poisoning salmonella mainly develop:
- fever,
- stomach pain,
- diarrhea,
- vomiting,
- fever.
To inhibit the pathogenic effect of bacteria, it is worth using a dietary supplement with yeast strains. On Medonet Market you can buy, for example, EnteroDr. in capsules.
Salmonella food poisoning – treatment
In the treatment of salmonella poisoning, the most important is the systematic hydration of the patient’s body and the implementation of an appropriate diet. For many people, a strict diet for several days and the consumption of medicinal charcoal or Smecty (1-2 sachets dissolved three times a day) is sufficient. The antibiotic is administered when symptoms still persist within three days after using these methods. The most severe cases of salmonella poisoning require hospitalization. This is especially true for children and adults after surgery, immunocompromised and long-term illnesses who have suffered from salmonella poisoning. The lack of any reaction and treatment may lead to dangerous complications, such as sepsis, sepsis or disturbances in the water and electrolyte balance.
During a visit to the hospital, the so-called seedsthe purpose of which is to determine if it was Salmonella that caused the food poisoning. This test is also performed after the end of treatment to check whether the patient is completely healthy or is still infectious.
How to Avoid Salmonella Food Poisoning?
1. Make sure that the dishes you eat are well heated, well done and cooked (salmonella sticks disappear at about 65 degrees Celsius).
2. Store food at low temperature.
3. Avoid defrosting and then re-freezing the food. Meat, fish, poultry – should be defrosted only before preparing a meal and frying / cooking.
4. Avoid storing at room temperature products that are susceptible to the growth of bacteria, such as egg and fish spreads, tartare.
5. Raw meat and eggs that are stored in the refrigerator should not come into contact with other products, such as fruit.
6. Before you eat an egg, remember to wash its shell with warm water and then put it in for 10 seconds. to boiling water.
7. Wash the knife and board used to prepare raw meat / poultry thoroughly and steam it. Wooden boards can harbor Salmonella, so it is worth investing in plastic ones.
8. Buy ice cream and cakes in places that respect the proper storage of products.
9. Don’t buy meat from an unknown source.
10. Remember to wash your hands after using the toilet and before preparing meals (be sure to teach your children this practice).