Get to know Salmonella infection, its symptoms, and how to prevent it
Health
Superblogseo.web.id - Get to know Salmonella infection, its symptoms, and how to prevent it - Salmonella is a type of bacteria that causes food-related illnesses. Salmonella infection, also known as salmonellosis, causes sufferers to experience symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, pain and cramps in the stomach.
The salmonella infection began to be discussed after the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued a warning regarding the voluntary recall of Kinder Surprise brand chocolate products on April 2, 2022.The recall, which was suspected to be contaminated with Salmonella ( non-typhoid ) bacteria, was followed by a number of countries in Europe, from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Ireland.
Related to this, the Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) also issued an official release to stop the circulation of Kinder Joy products to prevent the spread of salmonella infection in Indonesia on April 11, 2022.
So, what is salmonella? Is this bacterial infection dangerous? Come on, see the full explanation in the following article.
What is salmonella?
Salmonella is a group of bacteria that trigger diarrhea and infections in the human intestinal tract. These bacteria can live in the intestinal tract of animals that are transmitted to humans through food contaminated with animal waste.In addition, the consumption of undercooked and unwashed food can also increase the risk of contamination. As for how to find out whether the food contains salmonella bacteria, it's actually not easy. Salmonella bacteria in food can only be detected through laboratory tests.
Even so, you can avoid raw foods of animal origin because cooking thoroughly can kill Salmonella.
Causes of salmonella infection
Salmonella bacteria can live in the intestines of humans, animals, and poultry. Transmission can be in several ways, including:Contaminated food
Most people become infected with salmonella by eating contaminated food. Some types of food that are commonly infected with salmonella are as follows:- Raw meat and undercooked poultry, including chicken, bird, duck, beef, pork, and turkey.
- Seafood if harvested from contaminated water.
- Raw eggs from infected chickens.
- Mayonnaise or other homemade ingredients made using contaminated raw eggs.
- Unwashed fruits and vegetables.
- Unpasteurized milk and other dairy products, including soft cheeses, ice cream, and yogurt
- Processed foods such as chicken nuggets and peanut butter
Other causes
Apart from food, there are several other causes that make you more likely to get salmonella, including:- Do not maintain cleanliness such as infrequent hand washing.
- Keeping pets such as dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles can carry bacteria.
- Consumption of raw food
- Do not wash food ingredients before processing it
Risk factors
Then there are a number of risk factors that can increase the risk of getting a salmonella bacterial infection, including:- Children, especially those under the age of 5, are more likely to be exposed to salmonella than adults.
- Older adults and people with weakened immune systems
- History of international travel in places with poor sanitation.
- Taking certain medications that can weaken the immune system
- Having inflammatory bowel disease because it can damage the lining of the intestines so that salmonella can survive more easily.
Symptoms of salmonella
Anyone can be infected with this disease, especially infants and children under 5 years old. Most salmonella infections can be classified as gastroenteritis.When infected, you may not experience symptoms right away as the incubation period ranges from a few hours to two days after consuming the food. Each person may also experience different symptoms, depending on their immune system.
However, in general there are a number of symptoms of salmonella, namely:
- Nauseous
- Throw up
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- stomach cramps
- Chills
- Headache
- Blood in the stool
salmonella treatment
Salmonella poisoning requires healing time of about one week without the need for special treatment if the sufferer has a good immune system.As a way to treat salmonella, drink plenty of water and other fluids to avoid dehydration if you have diarrhea. However, if you experience severe symptoms of salmonella infection, you should immediately consult an Internal Medicine Specialist.
The doctor will perform a physical examination, examination of stool, urine, and laboratory tests. In addition, if the symptoms get worse, diarrhea is severe to the point of bloody stools, a high fever that does not improve, and severe dehydration also indicates that you need antidiarrheal drugs, antibiotics, or other medical treatment.
Untreated salmonella infection can lead to tearing of the intestinal wall and other more serious complications.
How to prevent salmonella
Keeping the body and food clean is the most important way to prevent salmonella. Prevention of salmonella infection is also very important, especially if in the house there are children or parents with weak immune systems.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are several ways to prevent salmonella, including:
- Make sure all poultry, meat, seafood and eggs are well cooked. Cook foods containing these ingredients to an internal temperature of 73.8°C (165°F ).
- Avoid consuming raw milk or other unpasteurized dairy products.
- Avoid consuming raw or undercooked eggs. Store eggs in the refrigerator.
- Do not eat eggs that have been cracked.
- Wash the product before consumption.
- Wash all utensils, including cutting boards, knives, and countertops, after handling raw food.
- Wash your hands thoroughly when handling food, after contact with feces, or after handling reptiles or birds.