Salmonella is the term given to a bacterium which is responsible for a particular food poisoning that is known as salmonellosis. Bear in mind that you will find different varieties of such salmonella bacteria. For instance, in America, Salmonella typhimurium is a rather common variety. Don’t be fooled by the number of salmonellosis diagnoses made every year since the milder cases of such kinds of food poisoning are either unreported or simply undiagnosed. Any contaminated food you or your family consumes which has salmonella could ultimately lead to salmonellosis. There are a number of ways in which such salmonella contamination can occur, such as at the time of food handling. A thorough washing of the handler’s hands is of utmost importance in stemming the spread of this disease. Contact with infected pet feces containing this bacterium and unwashed hands could also lead to this stomach infection. Avoid these common errors causing the stomach infection in order to prevent the salmonella infection. Watch out for salmonellosis symptoms like cramps in the patient’s abdomen, an accompanying fever as well as diarrhea. It is interesting to note that a good number of individuals overcome salmonellosis with no treatment. However, severe cases of both diarrhea and dehydration may make a hospital visit necessary. Do check with your doctor if salmonellosis persists for more than 5 days. Remember that in some cases, Reiter’s syndrome is caused which can lead to a number of complications such as chronic arthritis.
When thinking about prevention, remember that such cases of food poisoning are seen more in summer time as opposed to winter. Also bear in mind that salmonellosis is far more common in children. Besides young children, it is the elderly and those who suffer from compromised immune systems that are seen to have more severe cases of poisoning. Treatment for this condition typically means looking after the complications till your stomach infection goes away. Water in addition to oral rehydration drinks are one of the best ways in which you can tackle the dehydration brought on by diarrhea. Skip the fizzy drinks and make your own mix of water with some salt and sugar. In the case of salmonellosis, normal diet is what you need. You will need adequate levels of nutrition but fat rich or excessive sugar foods and drinks should be off the menu. Since your stomach is still tender, you should skip spicy meals for a while, even a couple of days after salmonellosis symptoms go away.