What Is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a family of bacteria that can cause several different types of illness. There are two main types of salmonella: typhoidal and nontyphoidal. Typhoidal salmonella causes typhoid fever, and it’s more common in countries that do not have access to sanitation and clean water. 

Nontyphoidal salmonella is the more common type in the U.S., where we see over 1 million infections each year. Salmonella outbreaks usually start with contaminated foods. But you can also get it from coming into contact with pet and animal feces. And it can lead to an unpleasant week of fever and diarrhea. 

Most people fully recover from their infection without specific treatment. But others have a slightly higher risk. And sometimes these infections can spread to other parts of the body. In this article we’ll focus on nontyphoidal salmonella and explain:

• The different ways you can get salmonella

• The symptoms you can expect, and how to care for yourself at home

• When to see a provider

• Commonly contaminated foods, and how you can protect yourself

How do you get salmonella? 

Salmonella enters your body through your mouth. There are three main ways this tends to happen:

1. Fecal-oral transmission

If someone is sick with salmonella and does not wash their hands well, the bacteria can easily transfer to other surfaces. This includes things like door handles, faucet handles, and counters. They can also transfer the bacteria to any food or drink that they touch. If you touch these surfaces — or eat these foods — the bacteria can then enter your body, too. 

2. Foodborne bacteria

Sometimes salmonella can contaminate foods during the manufacturing and distribution process. People who eat the contaminated food then get sick. This is what leads to outbreaks of salmonella infection. Foods that have been recalled for outbreaks include: 

• Poultry

• Eggs

• Meat

• Fish

• Milk

• Nut butters

• Vegan cheeses

• Infant formula 

3. Animal transmission

Salmonella is in the intestines and feces of many animals. A lot of people come into contact with these animals on farms and in petting zoos, and many have them as pets. When you touch these animals, the bacteria can easily transfer to your hands — without you even knowing it. 

Animals that can carry salmonella include: 

• Poultry: chicken, durkey, and ducks

• Farm animals: cows, sheep, pigs, goats, and horses 

• Reptiles and amphibians: turtles, snakes, lizards, and frogs

• Rodents: mice, rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs 

• Other pets: birds, hedgehogs, dogs, and cats

Symptoms of salmonella infection

When someone gets sick with salmonella, the symptoms can start as soon as 6 to 8 hours after ingestion. But for others, symptoms may not show up for 2 to 3 days. Common symptoms include:

• Fever

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Abdominal pain and cramping

• Diarrhea (that may contain blood)

For most people, the fever goes away within 1 day. The diarrhea then subsides over the next 2 or 3 days, but it can take up to 1 week. 

For some people, the infection can become more serious. That’s especially true if the bacteria makes its way to other parts of the body. This is more likely to happen when someone’s immune system is having trouble fighting off the infection. 

Below are symptoms that might suggest a more severe infection. You should seek medical attention if you are experiencing:

• Bloody diarrhea or black, tarry diarrhea

• Diarrhea that lasts longer than 3 days and is not improving

• Fevers that last longer than 48 hours 

• Severe abdominal pain

• Uncontrollable vomiting

• Dizziness

• Confusion

• Severe headache

• Stiff neck

• Difficulty staying awake

Even if you are not experiencing severe symptoms, it may still be a good idea to see your provider when your symptoms start. This is especially true if you have a higher risk of a more serious illness.

Who gets sick with salmonella?

Anyone can get sick with salmonella. For most healthy people, it’s a mild illness that resolves on its own. 

Certain groups are at higher risk for the more severe condition we discussed above. These risk factors are:

• Extremes of age: This includes young infants and older adults.

• Weak immune systems: This can include people who have cancer, HIV, or those who take medications that affect their immune system. 

• Malnourishment: This can happen when someone does not eat enough food to keep up with their body’s needs. But it can also relate to how your body is able to absorb certain nutrients. People can be malnourished at any body size.

• Certain medical conditions: Conditions such as diabetes, sickle cell disease, and heart disease can significantly impact someone’s ability to safely recover from a salmonella infection. 

Diagnosing salmonella infection

Most people will not have to see a provider during their illness. So a specific diagnosis is never made. Other times, a provider can make a diagnosis based on your symptoms and any reported exposure to the bacteria. 

For people who have more severe disease, there are tests that can help confirm the source of the infection. These include: 

• Stool tests can look specifically for the salmonella bacteria in your feces.

• Blood tests don’t always find salmonella specifically, but they can help identify signs of infection. They can also look for things like dehydration that can result from infection.

• Body fluid tests can be simple, like a urine sample, or more involved, like fluid collection from the spinal canal. These tests may be necessary if the bacteria spreads to other areas of the body, like the urinary tract, joints, or the brain and spinal cord.

How do you treat salmonella infection?

For most people, specific treatment is not necessary because the symptoms will resolve on their own. There are things you can do to help yourself feel better. These include:

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) helps with fever.

• Fluids help with hydration. It’s best to choose fluids with electrolytes (like soup broth or sports drinks) instead of water. This is because your body loses these key electrolytes with vomiting and diarrhea.  

• Rest as much as possible. 

If you have more severe symptoms, you may need intravenous (IV) fluids and sometimes even antibiotics. But most people do not need antibiotics because their immune system fights off the infection. And it’s best to avoid antibiotics when possible because:

• They can cause diarrhea and stomach problems on their own.

• They increase the risk of allergic reactions to the medication.

• Salmonella has grown resistant to many antibiotics, and antibiotics can increase the number of resistant bacteria in your body.

But people who have a higher risk for severe disease may need the help of antibiotics to get better. Your provider can help you figure out if treatment is right for you.

What steps can I take to prevent salmonella?

Salmonella is fairly common. But there are precautions you can take to minimize your chances of getting it. 

Like most infections, prevention starts with good handwashing. If you’re sick, wash your hands well and often to prevent spreading the infection. Do the same if you’re around someone who is sick, since we all tend to unconsciously touch our mouths. And always wash your hands before preparing food or eating. 

In addition to these precautions, there are a few more things you can do:

• If you’re traveling, avoid foods that aren't cooked thoroughly. And drink bottled beverages whenever possible.

• After visiting a petting zoo or handling pets, wash your hands thoroughly. 

• If you own chickens, reptiles, or rodents, make sure to store food away from these animals. And always wash your hands after handling them.

• Don’t kiss animals.

Does cooking kill salmonella?

Cooking your meats thoroughly can help prevent a salmonella infection. Here are the internal temperatures your proteins should reach to effectively kill salmonella:

• Red meats, like beef, pork, veal, and lamb: 145℉

• Fish: 145℉

• Ground meats and eggs: 160℉ (avoid runny eggs)

• Poultry, including chicken, turkey, and duck: 165℉

For foods that don’t require cooking, there are several other precautions that you can take:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling and preparing food.

• Wash all cooking and prep surfaces with hot, soapy water. This is especially important if they come in contact with raw foods. 

• Keep your raw meats separate from other foods when storing as well as preparing.

• Keep your perishables cold. Do not leave them out for longer than 2 hours.

Where can I stay up to date about the current products being recalled for salmonella?

Sometimes, despite taking precautions, you may become ill from the food you eat. It may be due to salmonella, another bacteria (like Listeria), or a virus. The FDA collects information regarding possible food or products that may be contaminated. To find out if a food you ate may have been contaminated, you can check this link for recalls.

What should I do If I have been exposed to salmonella?

Don’t panic! If you happen to have eaten a recalled food, it may not make you sick. Many times, the FDA errs on the side of safety and recalls things that have only a small chance of making you sick. Depending on how much of the contaminated food you consumed, you may only have mild symptoms — or perhaps none at all.

If you develop diarrhea, treat your symptoms at home with rest and hydration (like we reviewed above). If you start to see any of the concerning symptoms, get yourself checked out. And in the event you’re in a high-risk group, talk to your provider about the best treatment for you.