The Disease and Treatment
How Do People Get Salmonella?
Salmonella live in the intestines of humans and other animals. Salmonella are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal excretion. Contaminated foods usually look and smell like they normally would. Contaminated foods are often produced from animals, such as beef, poultry, milk, or eggs, but any food, like vegebale may be infected. Thorough cooking kills Salmonella. It is often found in raw food. Food may also become contaminated by the hands of an infected food handler who did not wash their hands with soap after using the bathroom.
How Can Salmonella Infections Be Diagnosed?
Many different kinds of diseases can cause fever, abdominal cramps, or diarrhea. Determining that Salmonella is the cause of the illness is based on laboratory tests that identify Salmonella in the waste of an infected person. Once Salmonella has been identified, further testing can determine its specific type.
