Salmonella Symptoms to Know

Key Takeaways

Salmonella symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after ingesting the bacteria and can range from mild to severe, including fever, stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, and headache.
Most people recover from Salmonella infections in 4-7 days with rest and fluids. Children under 5 years, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe symptoms.
Most salmonella infections do not require antibiotic treatment. In fact, antibiotics can increase the duration of the illness and increase the risk of relapse (getting infected again).

Salmonella is a common foodborne illness caused by a bacterial infection affecting the gastrointestinal tract. While most people experience diarrhea, some people have no symptoms at all.

Salmonellosis is the term describing the foodborne illness caused by Salmonella. In the U.S., salmonellosis is the second leading cause of foodborne illnesses, after norovirus. However, it is the leading cause of hospitalizations and deaths from food poisoning. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that approximately 1.35 million Salmonella infections occur in the U.S. each year. Please continue reading to learn about the common symptoms of a Salmonella infection.

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a group of bacteria that cause diarrheal illness in humans. More than 2,500 types of Salmonella bacteria have been identified, with less than 100 serotypes being responsible for salmonellosis in people. Salmonella infection’s symptoms vary in severity, ranging from mild illness to more severe symptoms. A few varieties of Salmonella cause typhoid fever, a life-threatening condition that is more common in developing countries with poor sanitation. Salmonella bacteria live in the environment and can survive in hot and humid conditions.

How does Salmonella infection spread?

The most common way Salmonella infection spreads is by eating contaminated food. This includes:

Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and seafood (more Salmonella bacteria are found in raw meat than any other foods)
Raw or undercooked eggs and egg products
Unpasteurized milk or raw milk and dairy products
Raw fruits and vegetables that have been washed or irrigated with contaminated water

In addition, Salmonella infection spreads if a person handling or preparing food comes in contact with contaminated foods and then touches their hands to their mouth. The bacteria can also spread to others through contact with food handlers’ hands, clothes, and other objects and surfaces that have been contaminated.

Note: Handling pet food, especially pet foods that contain raw or uncooked meat, can be a source of Salmonella infection.

Additionally, certain animals may carry Salmonella bacteria without showing any symptoms, such as farm animals (like chickens, cows, pigs, rodents like mice, reptiles like pet turtles, snakes, lizards, and amphibians like salamanders and frogs. Touching animals or working in their habitat can lead to a Salmonella infection.

What are the symptoms of Salmonella infections?

Salmonella symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after exposure to the bacteria. Common symptoms include fever, stomach pain, stomach cramps, diarrhea (including bloody diarrhea), nausea, vomiting, chills, and headache.

How long do Salmonella symptoms last?

Most people recover from Salmonella infections in 4-7 days with conservative treatment with just rest and fluids. However, a Salmonella infection can sometimes cause severe diarrhea and dehydration, requiring hospitalization and antibiotic treatment. Children under 5 years of age, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe symptoms from Salmonella infections.

Does Salmonella go away on its own?

Salmonella goes away on its own in most healthy people. But you should seek medical attention if your symptoms are severe, for example, if you have a high fever, bloody diarrhea, or severe dehydration (symptoms such as dry mouth, increased thirst, reduced urination, and dark urine). Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to take at home or admit you to the hospital for treatment.

The elderly (those who are 65 years and older), children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people should seek medical attention to be treated appropriately, thus preventing serious health complications.

Complications of Salmonella can be dangerous and include dehydration, bacteremia (spread of the infection to other parts of the body), and reactive arthritis (symptoms such as joint pain, eye irritation, and pain with urination).

How are Salmonella infections diagnosed?

Salmonella is diagnosed based on signs and symptoms. A stool sample can be tested for bacteria (Salmonella). However, most people with mild salmonellosis have recovered by the time the results come back. Your doctor may order blood tests if they suspect a Salmonella infection has spread to your bloodstream.

What kills Salmonella bacteria in the body?

Antibiotics kill Salmonella bacteria in the body. But antibiotics are not usually needed unless you have a severe infection, the Salmonella infection has spread to your bloodstream, or you have a weakened immune system.

What is the best way to treat Salmonella?

The best way to treat a Salmonella infection is to stay well hydrated. This prevents dehydration due to diarrhea and vomiting. You should drink plenty of water and other fluids, but avoid soft drinks and fruit juices as they can sometimes make diarrhea worse. Oral rehydration solutions are available over-the-counter to replenish fluids and electrolytes in babies and children.

In addition, you can take over-the-counter anti-diarrheals such as loperamide (Imodium A-D) to relieve stomach cramps and diarrhea caused by Salmonella infections.

Are Salmonella infections treated with antibiotics?

Most salmonella infections do not require antibiotic treatment. In fact, antibiotics can increase the duration of the illness and can increase the risk of relapse (getting infected again).

How to prevent Salmonella infections?

The following measures can lower your risk of getting a Salmonella infection:

Wash your hands

People who don’t wash their hands can transfer Salmonella bacteria from their hands to their mouths. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds every time after handling raw food, using the toilet, changing a diaper, cleaning pet feces, touching pets or other animals, or working in animal habitats.

Eat cooked foods

Eat foods that have been cooked thoroughly. Do not eat raw or undercooked foods. Make sure you cook foods to a temperature between 145F and 165F to kill Salmonella bacteria.

Wash raw foods

When you eat food such as fresh fruits and vegetables (raw or uncooked foods), make sure you wash them thoroughly with clean water.

Avoid eating raw or undercooked eggs

Keep eggs refrigerated. Cook eggs before eating. If you use raw eggs in recipes such as homemade ice cream, cookie dough, eggnog, mayonnaise, or hollandaise sauce, make sure you use pasteurized eggs.

Practice good hygiene during food storage and preparation

Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from other foods in your refrigerator. Use two cutting boards, if possible, with one for raw meat and the other for fruits and vegetables. Don’t place cooked food on an unwashed plate on which you previously stored raw meat. Store food in the refrigerator or freezer if you don’t intend to cook food and eat it immediately. Clean food preparation surfaces regularly.

Track Salmonella outbreaks

Check the Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System to check for Salmonella outbreaks, for example, contaminated ground beef or ready-to-eat foods. In 2018, a brand of cake mix was recalled due to Salmonella agbeni infections.

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