Salmonella is an array of microscopic extant bacteria that live in intestinal tracts and are passed to and from human or animal via their feces. The most common illness causing types in the U.S. are Typhimurium and Enteritidis.

If infected, Salmonellosis, a diarrheal sickness, can result. The typical route for transmitting salmonella is eating animal feces contaminated foods. Contaminated foods, neither looking nor smelling unusual, are often of animal origin, such as:

• beef
• milk
• eggs
• poultry

But all foods, even vegetables, can be slamonella contaminated.

Thorough cooking of raw contaminated food kills Salmonella. Also, the unwashed hands of an infected food handler is another cause for its transmission.

Symptoms of salmonellosis, developing 12-72 hours post infection, are:

• fever
• diarrhea
• abdominal cramps

Intestinal salmonella infection usually resolves within a week, and most will recover without necessity for medical treatment. The main concern is dehydration, so treat yourself to plenty of fluids during its invasion. Otherwise you may find yourself on intravenous fluids for rehydration.

Salmonella infection can spread from your intestines to the blood stream. Once it makes it into this transport system, it can critically infect some other body sites. This rare occurrence can cause death unless promptly treated with antibiotics. Approximately 600 die each year from salmonellosis.

Those most likely to encounter this severe form of salmonella illness include:

• elderly
• infants
• impaired immune systems

Antibiotics are not usually used for salmonella unless the infection spreads beyond your intestines. Unfortunately, some salmonella bacteria built a resistance, largely due to using antibiotics to promote feed animal growth.

Most will recover completely, but it may take several months for your bowel habits to return to normal. A few people develop Reiter’s syndrome, aka reactive arthritis, experiencing:

• joint pain
• eye irritation
• painful urination

This arthritis can last for months, years or become chronic and difficult to treat. And antibiotic treatment does not make a difference in the development of this form of arthritis.

Primary prevention measures for crusading against this diarrhea creator is don’t eat raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, or meat. Nor consume raw or unpasteurized milk or other dairy products. And always thoroughly wash your produce.

Avoid cross-contamination by:

• keeping foods separately
• wash cutting boards, counters, knives, and other utensils after handling uncooked foods.
• wash hands before and between handling any food stuff

Children are the most apt to get salmonellosis.

Of particular note is that reptiles are likely to harbor Salmonella. Therefore, hand washing immediately after handling them is strongly encouraged. Giving children snakes, turtles, iguanas or other lizards is not a great health promoting gift idea.

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