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Salmonella bacteria can be sneaky! Don’t let it catch you by surprise. These 5 simple tips can be the difference between sweet dreams or a surprise stomachache. Or worse!
But first.
What are Salmonella bacteria anyway?
Salmonella bacteria is a teeny tiny, microscopic organism that, despite its size, can have a big impact on your health.
This bad bug gets around! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 1.35 million people are infected with these bacteria each year. Most of these illnesses come from contaminated food. These illnesses range from mild to severe. In fact, Salmonella bacteria are responsible for about 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the United States every year.
There are over 2,500 different strains of this bacterium. Most cause serious or even life-threatening illness.
Most people are familiar with the types of Salmonella responsible for diarrheal illness. This is called “non-typhoidal” Salmonella bacteria.
There is another type of Salmonella bacteria too.
You guessed it! Typhoidal Salmonella bacteria.
The defining symptom of typhoidal Salmonella bacteria is a very high fever. In fact, the illness associated with typhoidal Salmonella bacteria is called Typhoid Fever!
Within the different strains of bacteria, each organism has a quickly changing genetic code. As the bacteria grow and reproduce, this genetic code slightly changes. This aspect makes tracing the source of an infection a bit easier.
If two people are infected with genetically similar strains of the same bacteria, they likely became sickened from the same source.
Salmonella bacteria are found in the feces of animals and humans. It can also be found in the environment.
Seeing as poop is not a common ingredient in any cuisine (that I know of), how does it get into food or make people sick?
Here is where you might get a little grossed out.
You do get sick from consuming poop. Microscopic amounts of it anyway.
Even small, trace amounts can be enough for you to become sick. And it can happen without you even realizing it.
For example, if someone who is infected with the bacteria does not wash their hands after using the bathroom. Even if there is no “visible” waste on their hands, their hands likely have trace amounts of the bacteria on them. Now, everything they touch will have a little bit of those bacteria transferred. From the bathroom stall door, to the bathroom door, to a banister, door handle, elevator button, EVERYTHING they touch.
Now, it only takes another touch from a second person to pick up that bacteria. If you eat, touch your mouth, open a straw and drink from where you touched, or any other activity where your contaminated hands transfer bacteria to your mouth – you have been exposed.
Certain foods are commonly associated with Salmonella contamination. This is because they come in contact with animal feces or are processed in a way that they are more likely to become contaminated.
Foods commonly associated with Salmonella infection include:
Unfortunately, these potentially contaminated foods are generally indistinguishable from uncontaminated foods. They often look and smell normal, so there is no way for you to know to avoid them.
Fortunately, not everyone will get sick. Our immune systems are amazing machines that identify, track down, and kill wayward bacteria.
There are, however, certain groups of people who are more susceptible to infection if exposed or serious illness if they become infected. These include children under five years old, the elderly, and those with a weakened immune system.
If you are unfortunate enough to be exposed and infected with Salmonella bacteria, here is what you can expect.
Most people start feeling symptoms between six hours and six days after exposure. These include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. These symptoms last about a week (four to seven days).
For most people, medical attention is not necessary. However, some people may experience complications warranting a trip to the doctor’s office or even the hospital.
Call a doctor if you have:
Dehydration is a serious issue with illnesses involving diarrhea and vomiting. Stay hydrated!
Complications from Salmonella infections can arise when the bacteria leave the digestive system and enter other parts of the body through the bloodstream. This can affect the urinary tract, blood, bones, joints, and even the nervous system.
Reactive arthritis is one of the more commonly known Salmonella infection complications. With this condition, Salmonella bacteria affect the collagen in the joints and other parts of the body. This translates to joint pain that is sometimes accompanied by irritation of the eyes and pain during urination. Reactive arthritis symptoms can last for months or even years in some people.
Irritable bowel syndrome is another Salmonella infection complication. It may take quite some time for bowel habits to return to normal after Salmonella infections for some people.
There are five big ways you can reduce the chance of exposure and potential illness from Salmonella bacteria at home. This is by no means a conclusive list. Always stay vigilant to avoid foodborne bacterial infections.
This starts at the grocery store. Keep raw foods and meats separate from ready-to-eat foods and fruits and vegetables. Be sure they are packaged in separate shopping bags for the ride home. Keep cold foods in a cooler bag, if possible, to help maintain temperatures for the ride home.
Put food up right away, keeping that same separation in the refrigerator. Never store meat above fresh or ready-to-eat foods. Place on a tray or plate to catch any possible leaking juices.
Wash all fruits and vegetables before consuming or cooking them. Even the ones that you don’t eat the thick outer rind. Watermelon, cantaloupe, and avocado are the most overlooked. Wash it first to prevent bacteria from entering the flesh when you cut it.
Thoroughly cook poultry, meat, and eggs. While “juices running clear” or a certain amount of steam may be what your grandmother counted on, we now know better. Always use a food thermometer to check for appropriate internal temperatures when cooking foods.
Avoid raw sprouts, raw oysters, and raw juices for the very young, the very old, and those with a compromised immune system.
Clean and sanitize your cooking space before and after you cook to prevent the spread of foodborne bacteria. Always wash and sanitize plates, pans, cutting boards, utensils, or anything that came in contact with raw meat before reusing. Hot soapy water can help keep your family safe.
I saved the best for last. It is the most important thing you can do to help protect your body from bacterial assault. It is so important that I am going to yell it.
WASH YOUR HANDS!
Wash your hands before you prepare food. Wash your hands after you prepare food. Wash your hands before you eat. Wash your hands after you go to the bathroom. Wash your hands after touching animals or things where they live. For the love of everything good in the world, just please wash your hands!
Salmonella bacteria may be sneaky. But you can be smarter than the bug! Follow these simple tips and keep an eye out for food safety to help reduce your chances of falling victim to this bad bug and others.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like Don’t Let Sneaky Salmonella Bacteria Catch You By Surprise, check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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