Salmonella food contamination

Salmonellosis is linked to the consumption of Salmonella-contaminated food products. An estimated 94% of salmonellosis is transmitted by food. Humans usually become infected by eating foods contaminated with feces from an infected animal. As a result, implicated foods are often of animal origin such as beef, poultry, milk, and eggs. Poor hand washing and contact with infected pets are some of the contamination routes.

Salmonella was cultured by Georg Theodor Gaffky in 1884 and by Salmon and Smith from pigs which had died of hog cholera. The disease can affect all species of domestic animals and man, but young, aged, debilitated, stressed, pregnant, and lactating animals and humans are more susceptible.

Salmonellosis in humans is generally contracted through the consumption of contaminated food of animal origin, although other foods, including green vegetables contaminated by manure, have been implicated in its transmission.

When Salmonella bacteria are ingested, they pass through a person’s stomach and colonize the small and large intestine. There, the bacteria invade the intestinal mucosa and proliferate.

Salmonella is a Gram-negative bacterium that uses flagella for movement. Salmonellosis is regarded as a foodborne infection of the gastrointestinal tract and has been reported to have high incidence rates. The causative organism can pass from the faeces of an infected person or animal to healthy ones.

Permanent carriers of infected individuals usually harboring the organisms in the gallbladder, biliary tract, liver spleen, lymph modes, rarely the intestine or urinary tract.

Symptoms of salmonellosis include gastroenteritis, abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhoea, fever, myalgia, headache, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms of salmonellosis are relatively mild and patients will make a recovery without specific treatment in most cases.
Salmonella food contamination