Salmonella Poisoning
Known medically as salmonellosis, this major type of food poisoning is caused by bacteria that multiply rapidly at room temperatures. Every year about four million cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States. Children are the most likely to get salmonellosis, and young children are among those most likely to have severe infections. Experts estimate that about 600 people die each year with acute salmonellosis.
Salmonellosis is very common in this country; bonemeal, fertilizer, and pet foods all may be implicated in the spread of the disease. In particular, recent outbreaks have been linked to chickens and eggs; it is estimated that 35 percent of all chickens in processing plants harbor the bacteria.
The largest outbreak ever recorded occurred in 1994 and involved more than 200,000 Americans. In this case, commercially pasteurized ice cream premix was contaminated by bacteria during transport to a Minnesota ice cream plant in tanker trailers that had previously carried nonpasteurized liquid eggs. The outbreak ended only after sales of the ice cream were stopped.
Unfortunately, salmonella resistant to standard antibiotics used to treat infection in children are emerging across the country. Between 1996 and 1998 doctors recorded 13 cases of salmonella infection resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone. Another possible 28 cases occurred in 1999. Because there are several million salmonella infections each year, researchers believe this means that several thousand are probably caused by the ceftriaxoneresistant strain.
Cause
Salmonellosis is caused by infection with the Salmonella bacteria; even extremely small amounts can cause food poisoning. The incidence of salmonellosis appears to be spreading in epidemic proportions. Bacteria are now commonly found in eggs and poultry. It is also found in raw meat, fish, raw milk, bonemeal, fertilizer, and pet foods as well as carried by small pet turtles and in marijuana. It also can be transferred to food from the excrement of infected animals or people. One type of the bacterium (S. enteritidis) has been found in the eggs of chickens with the disease.
Symptoms
While tiny amounts of the bacteria can be ingested without harm in otherwise healthy children, a minimal amount can cause symptoms within 12 to 72 hours. Symptoms vary, depending on the amount of bacteria ingested, but include headache, nausea and vomiting, fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most children recover without treatment. However, some may have such severe diarrhea that hospitalization is required. In these children, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites; it can be fatal unless the child is treated promptly with antibiotics, especially in infants or children with compromised immune systems.
Diagnosis
Because many different kinds of illnesses can cause diarrhea, fever, or abdominal cramps, determining that Salmonella is the cause of symptoms depends on lab tests to identify the germ in the stool of an infected child. Once Salmonella has been identified, further testing can determine its specific type, and which antibiotics could be used to treat it.
Treatment
As with most types of food poisoning, there is no specific treatment for mild cases. Children should eat a bland diet and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Antibiotics should be given only in cases of severe infection, or if there is an indication of bacteria in the blood.
Prevention
Proper handling and cooking of contaminated food will kill the bacteria, and proper refrigeration and cooking methods for meat and eggs should be observed at all times. Eggs should be refrigerated and not used raw (such as in eggnog); children should not be allowed to lick batter that contains raw eggs. Raw chicken should never touch other foods or utensils during preparation, and cooks should wash hands after touching raw chicken.
Researchers have developed a bacteria mixture that, when sprayed on newly hatched chicks, blocks the growth of salmonella in their intestines. Industry and health officials hope it will cut down on the amount of salmonella found in raw chicken and lessen the threat of food poisoning from undercooked chicken. The product (Preempt) is made up of 29 healthy, nonharmful bacteria naturally present in adult birds. Newly hatched chicks sprayed with the mixture peck at their wet feathers and ingest the solution. The culture then grows inside the chicken and eliminates other microbes, preventing salmonella bacteria from attaching to the chicken’s intestines. In tests of 80,000 chickens, seven percent of the untreated birds developed salmonella— but none of the treated birds became infected. Farmers who use Preempt must not feed their birds preventive antibiotics that could kill the beneficial microbes. United States Dairy Administration (USDA) researchers say lab tests show the mixture also looks promising in the fight against other germs that infect chicken, including CAMPYLOBACTER, listeria, and ESCHERICHIA COLI.
Salmonellosis is very common in this country; bonemeal, fertilizer, and pet foods all may be implicated in the spread of the disease. In particular, recent outbreaks have been linked to chickens and eggs; it is estimated that 35 percent of all chickens in processing plants harbor the bacteria.
The largest outbreak ever recorded occurred in 1994 and involved more than 200,000 Americans. In this case, commercially pasteurized ice cream premix was contaminated by bacteria during transport to a Minnesota ice cream plant in tanker trailers that had previously carried nonpasteurized liquid eggs. The outbreak ended only after sales of the ice cream were stopped.
Unfortunately, salmonella resistant to standard antibiotics used to treat infection in children are emerging across the country. Between 1996 and 1998 doctors recorded 13 cases of salmonella infection resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone. Another possible 28 cases occurred in 1999. Because there are several million salmonella infections each year, researchers believe this means that several thousand are probably caused by the ceftriaxoneresistant strain.
Cause
Salmonellosis is caused by infection with the Salmonella bacteria; even extremely small amounts can cause food poisoning. The incidence of salmonellosis appears to be spreading in epidemic proportions. Bacteria are now commonly found in eggs and poultry. It is also found in raw meat, fish, raw milk, bonemeal, fertilizer, and pet foods as well as carried by small pet turtles and in marijuana. It also can be transferred to food from the excrement of infected animals or people. One type of the bacterium (S. enteritidis) has been found in the eggs of chickens with the disease.
Symptoms
While tiny amounts of the bacteria can be ingested without harm in otherwise healthy children, a minimal amount can cause symptoms within 12 to 72 hours. Symptoms vary, depending on the amount of bacteria ingested, but include headache, nausea and vomiting, fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most children recover without treatment. However, some may have such severe diarrhea that hospitalization is required. In these children, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites; it can be fatal unless the child is treated promptly with antibiotics, especially in infants or children with compromised immune systems.
Diagnosis
Because many different kinds of illnesses can cause diarrhea, fever, or abdominal cramps, determining that Salmonella is the cause of symptoms depends on lab tests to identify the germ in the stool of an infected child. Once Salmonella has been identified, further testing can determine its specific type, and which antibiotics could be used to treat it.
Treatment
As with most types of food poisoning, there is no specific treatment for mild cases. Children should eat a bland diet and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Antibiotics should be given only in cases of severe infection, or if there is an indication of bacteria in the blood.
Prevention
Proper handling and cooking of contaminated food will kill the bacteria, and proper refrigeration and cooking methods for meat and eggs should be observed at all times. Eggs should be refrigerated and not used raw (such as in eggnog); children should not be allowed to lick batter that contains raw eggs. Raw chicken should never touch other foods or utensils during preparation, and cooks should wash hands after touching raw chicken.
Researchers have developed a bacteria mixture that, when sprayed on newly hatched chicks, blocks the growth of salmonella in their intestines. Industry and health officials hope it will cut down on the amount of salmonella found in raw chicken and lessen the threat of food poisoning from undercooked chicken. The product (Preempt) is made up of 29 healthy, nonharmful bacteria naturally present in adult birds. Newly hatched chicks sprayed with the mixture peck at their wet feathers and ingest the solution. The culture then grows inside the chicken and eliminates other microbes, preventing salmonella bacteria from attaching to the chicken’s intestines. In tests of 80,000 chickens, seven percent of the untreated birds developed salmonella— but none of the treated birds became infected. Farmers who use Preempt must not feed their birds preventive antibiotics that could kill the beneficial microbes. United States Dairy Administration (USDA) researchers say lab tests show the mixture also looks promising in the fight against other germs that infect chicken, including CAMPYLOBACTER, listeria, and ESCHERICHIA COLI.
