Salmonellosis

What is salmonellosis? Signs can include watery, foul smell- Serious complications can occur Salmonellosis is caused by a group ing diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever. and are most common in young chil- of bacteria found in the intestinal Dehydration and shock can occur and dren, the elderly and persons with tract of humans and animals. Salmo- lead to death; this is most common in weakened immune systems. nella (SAL-moh-NEL-uh) bacteria are young animals. Some animals infected with Salmonella may not show signs Who should I contact if I shed in feces of infected animals or suspect salmonellosis? people and cause diarrheal illness, of illness but shed the bacteria in their In Animals – which can be quite severe in the feces when they are stressed. Contact your veterinarian. young, elderly and individuals with Can I get salmonellosis? In Humans – weakened immune systems. Each Yes. People most commonly get sal- Contact your physician. year in the U.S. , an estimated 40,000 monellosis from eating (oral) improp- cases of salmonellosis are reported. How can I protect my animal erly cooked food, such as meat, eggs from salmonellosis? What animals get or unpasteurized milk/dairy products. Observe your animals for any signs salmonellosis? People can also get salmonellosis by direct contact with feces/diarrhea of illness. Isolate any animal that are Salmonellosis can aﬀ ect a many showing signs of illness. Clean up ani- animal species including birds, rep- from infected animals. If hands are not washed after contact, inciden- mal feces and dispose of it. Disinfect tiles and amphibians. Infections are the environment of the animals. most common in poultry, swine and tal oral ingestion can occur. This can reptiles. Disease can be seen in cattle, happen after touching any infected How can I protect myself pigs and horses but is uncommon in animal (e.g. handling baby chicks and from salmonellosis? ducklings, lizards, or turtles). cats and dogs. Thoroughly cook animal products, Disease in humans usually devel- How can my animal get such as meat and eggs. Do not drink ops 12 to 72 hours after exposure. unpasteurized milk. Always wash salmonellosis? Signs include diarrhea, fever and hands after having contact with ani- Animals become infected with Sal- abdominal cramping, which usually mals or their feces. This is especially monella through a fecal-oral route of resolves in 4 to 7 days. Most people important after visiting petting zoos, transmission. This occurs by eating recover without treatment, but some and especially after touching lizards materials (e.g., feed, water, pasture may require hospitalization. or turtles. Remember that young chil- grass) contaminated with feces of an dren, elderly adults, and people with infected animal. The bacteria can also concurrent illnesses are the most sus- be spread through direct contact ceptible to this disease. with an infected animal or by objects (boots, coveralls, etc.) contaminated For More Information by fecal material from infected animals. The bacteria can live for months CFSPH Technical Fact Sheets. Salmonel- to years in warm, wet environments. losis at http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/ Salmonellosis DiseaseInfo/ is a diarrheal disease How does salmonellosis CDC website. Salmonellosis at http:// affect my animal? caused by bacteria www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/dis- Most animals infected with Salmo- found in raw eggs or easeinfo/salmonellosis_g.htm nella do not show signs of disease. undercooked poultry. Clinical signs depend on the age and type of animal infected. Disease is usu- Photo shows an electron micrograph of the Salmo- ally more severe in stressed, young, or nella bacteria (pink) from the Illinois Department of pregnant animals. Public Health