Salmonellosis is a type of food poisoning caused by a bacteria called salmonella. The current salmonellosis outbreak (related to raw tomatoes) is caused by a variant of the bacteria called salmonella saintpaul.
There are approximately forty thousand cases of salmonellosis reported in the United States each year. Problems are more common in summer than in winter, but can happen at any time of year.
Causes of salmonellosis can include:
- Food contaminated during processing or handling — always prepare food on a clean surface.
- Food contaminated by unwashed hands — always wash your hands when touching food!
- The bacteria can be found in the feces of some pets — wash your hands after contact with feces, especially diarrhea.
- Some pets can carry salmonella, including baby chicks and ducklings, reptiles, and small rodents — wash your hands after handling a pet.
Beef poultry, milk, and eggs are most commonly infected with salmonella, but the bacteria can contaminate other foods as well — like fruits and vegetables. Contaminated foods usually look and smell normal.
Symptoms of salmonellosis develop between twelve and seventy-two hours after infection and can include:
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Abdominal cramps
Illness can last between four and seven days. Most people recover from salmonellosis without any treatment! Older adults, infants, and people with impaired immune systems are at the highest risk for severe symptoms that require treatment. Diarrhea and dehydration (the most common complication of salmonellosis) can result in the need for medical attention or an emergency room visit. You can avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water (or rehydration drinks like Pedialyte or Rehydralyte) for every bout of diarrhea you experience.
If you believe you have salmonellosis due to eating raw contaminated tomatoes, you may want to visit the FDA website for more information about reporting your symptoms — this will help track the spread of the outbreak.