Cases of salmonella poisoning become common. The bacteria that live in meat, eggs, and raw foodstuffs have made many people rushed to the hospital.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the last few months a new warning about salmonella epidemics continues to be administered. Food poisoning due to salmonella contamination has made 19,000 people rushed to the hospital every year.
Salmonella itself is a bacterium that lives in raw foodstuffs such as meat, eggs, and fresh vegetables.
Salmonella Poisoning Symptoms
These bacteria can affect the intestinal tract and it can cause serious problems, such as severe dehydration. The only way to diagnose salmonella poisoning is through a blood or feces test. However, a salmonella contamination generally has the following symptoms:
- Diarrhea is more than 3 days.
- Abdominal pain.
- Fever.
- Chills
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Headache.
- Blood in the feces
These symptoms usually last for four to seven days. However, to prevent serious illness, be sure to stay hydrated with a lot of drinking when the symptoms arise. When symptoms are getting worse in 3 days, it is good to consult a physician immediately.
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Salmonella Poisoning Diagnosis
Identify the symptom.
Salmonella infections usually occur due to consuming raw eggs or meat products contaminated with bacteria. There is a period of incubation from a few hours to 2 days, followed by some symptoms that can generally be classified as a gastroenteritis, inflammation of the stomach or intestines. (See the symptoms above).
Do a salmonella infection test.
The doctor will review your symptoms and the advice generally given is more drinking and resting until the symptoms disappear, in general, this will happen after a while. If the doctor states it is necessary to run the test, then the stool example will be tested to see if there is salmonella content.
- The doctor may decide to perform a blood test to determine whether a bacteremia has occurred.
- The doctor may also give antibiotics if a salmonella infection has spread outside the digestive system.
- If dehydration becomes quite severe, the patient may need to be hospitalized to take intravenous fluids.
Salmonella Poisoning Treatment
Salmonella poisoning usually will disappear on its own in about one week without needing special treatment. However, you should immediately consult your doctor if you:
- Not recover after more than 7 days.
- Experiencing severe diarrhea, even bleeding.
- Had a fever of more than 38.6 degrees Celsius for more than a day.
- Occurs in children under 5 years old.
- Have an immune system that is weak due to illness or aged over 65 years.
When you are checking, the doctor will give you some treatments such as:
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are administered if you experience severe enough toxicity symptoms. For example, when bacteria have entered the bloodstream. The reason, if antibiotics are administered in vain, the body and bacteria can be resisted (immune) to the this drug. Consequently, the risk of infection for relapse is considerable.
Antimotility
This one medication is administered to help stop diarrhea. Antimotility medications reduce the abdominal cramps that you feel while being intoxicated with Salmonella bacteria.
Fluid
The doctor will recommend you to drink more fluids. The goal is to prevent dehydration due to severe diarrhea that you experience. By drinking a lot of fluids both in plain water and juice, wasted fluids will be replaced so that the body does not lack water.
How to prevent Salmonella Poisoning
The tips below can help to keep you and your family from food poisoning due to Salmonella
Clean
- Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds, before and after handling raw eggs, raw meats, and seafood.
- Wash equipment, cutting board, plates, and kitchen table with hot water and soap, after preparing each groceries and before you start the next stage.
- Do not wash meat and raw eggs before cooking. Bacteria can spread to other foods, kitchen utensils, and surrounding surfaces.
- Clean the surface of the kitchen that has been in contact with food, using a tablespoon of solution from bleach chlorine in a gallon of water.
Separate
- Store raw meats, seafood, and raw eggs apart from other foods in your shopping cart and in your refrigerator. Store the egg in the original carton, then store it in the main compartment of your refrigerator instead of at the door.
- Keep meat and raw seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods, such as salads.
- Use different cutting boards and plates, to make or process meat, seafood, and eggs.
- Do not place cooked meals, on plates previously used to lay meat, seafood, and raw eggs.
Cook
Use a food thermometer to ensure that food is cooked in safe internal temperatures, such as:
- 145 °F to beef, calf meat, lamb, and fish
- 145 °F for pork and ham
- 160 °F for Eggs
- 160 °F for poultry, such as chickens, turkeys, and ducks
For meals using the microwave is 165 °F or more, as well as store meals at 145 °F or more, after cooking.
Storage
- Keep your refrigerator temperature at 40 °F or cooler.
- Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods, ready meals, and food remnants within two hours or an hour if the temperature is 90 °F or more hot.
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