Salmonella typhimurium is one of the Salmonella group of bacteria that causes food poisoning. If you are infected with Salmonella typhimurium, you will become ill with salmonellosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported and about 400 people die from it in the United States each year. Like all forms of Salmonella bacteria, Salmonella typhimurium is transmitted mainly from animal sources to humans, either through infected food or through direct contact with live animals.
Transmission
Like all salmonella bacteria, the typhimurium strain passes from human or animal feces to other humans or animals. The bacteria can be passed from human to human through poor hygiene, such as not washing hands after using the bathroom or changing a diaper.
Generally, the route of transmission is through meat (especially beef), poultry, milk or egg products that have been contaminated with animal feces. Other types of foods, however, including fruits and vegetables and even peanut butter, have been recalled due to contamination with Salmonella typhimurium. Unfortunately, most contaminated foods look and smell normal, so there is no way to detect the presence of bacteria without testing.
Symptoms
The symptoms of salmonellosis are similar to those of a stomach flu and can develop anywhere from 12 hours to three days after infection. Diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever can last up to a week.
Diagnosis
You must be referred for a laboratory stool test to confirm that Salmonella is the cause of your illness. Once that is established, additional testing can be done to identify the specific type of salmonella involved.
Treatment
Most cases of salmonellosis resolve on their own, without any treatment, but if diarrhea is particularly severe, antibiotics may be prescribed. If the infection spreads from the patient's intestinal tract to other parts of the body, hospitalization may be necessary.
Antibiotic Resistance
In recent years, concern is rising worldwide because a strain of the Salmonella typhimurium bacterium has become resistant to at least five different antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance makes it especially difficult to treat salmonellosis when it infects humans because doctors run out of medical options when none of the commonly used antibiotics are effective.
Prevention
To help prevent salmonella food poisoning at home, it is important to maintain a clean kitchen. Always wash your hands before and after handling food, and in between handling different types of food. Wash all utensils, cutting boards, and counters after handling uncooked foods. Thoroughly cook all meat, poultry and egg dishes and use pasteurized dairy products. Wash all fruits and vegetables well before preparing. Handle cooked foods separately from uncooked foods to prevent cross-contamination.
Whenever you are with live animals of any kind, including your own pets, wash your hands well after touching or cleaning up after them. This is especially true when handling reptiles or baby birds, and the environments they live in, and if you have contact with any animal feces.
