What is salmonellosis? Main symptoms

The European Union is investigating a salmonella outbreak Which affects six countries and that it is linked to eggs of Spanish origin. The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the European Food Safety Authority (ECDC and EFSA) have warned that the strain It has caused at least two deaths and hundreds of affected.

The salmonella infection, or salmonellosisIt is a foodborne illness caused by bacteria from the genus Salmonella. Most infections are contracted through contaminated food (usually beef, poultry, eggs, or milk).

raw unwashed

But the group of bacteria can also be found in unwashed fruits and vegetables. can also be purchased after handling petsespecially reptiles such as snakes, turtles and lizards.

The usual symptoms of a salmonellosis infection are fever, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, headache… In addition, they can be presented nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. In the most severe cases, it can cause deathas has happened with the current outbreak, but the normal thing is that the symptoms last between four and seven days and that most people are well past this time without major treatments, except for the typical ones diagnosed to alleviate dehydration caused by diarrhea and/or vomiting (alkaline lemonade, which is prepared with water, natural lemon juice and baking soda, or oral rehydration solutions sold in pharmacies), or paracetamol to combat fever and aches.

more serious

Symptoms may be more severe among older adults, young children, and people with chronic illnesses. If salmonella enters the bloodstream, it can be serious and deadly.