Everyone will have felt ill with some fever line and some diarrhea. In this period, above all, the thought goes immediately to Covid or at most to the flu. Taken a bit ‘from anxiety we ran to the pharmacy to do a quick swab to ward off the worst.
In fact, these symptoms are extremely common for a large variety of diseases. The flu or Covid are just two of these, the most common ones we think of. But faced with such symptoms that often resolve themselves in a few hours, we could suffer from this other disease.
Fever, nausea and diarrhea could be symptoms not only of the flu but also of this foodborne zoonotic disease
The disease we are talking about is salmonellosis, an infection caused by the bacterial agent Salmonella. In nature there are more than 2,000 variants, called serotypes, belonging to the salmonella group.
We have certainly heard of it together with Escherichia Coli or Clostridium Botulinum, the latter responsible for the best known botulism. Although apparently quite harmless, some individuals are more at risk. Salmonellosis appears to be the second most commonly reported zoonotic disease in the EU, as reported by theEFSA.
Symptoms and modes of transmission
The greatest risk of contracting salmonellosis comes mainly from contaminated food. Especially when it comes to egg, pork and even poultry. The main problem with this bacterium is that contaminated food does not appear to be altered. No color changes, pungent odors or texture changes.
As for the severity of the symptoms it depends on several factors. It starts with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract such as fever, vomiting or diarrhea. Up to more serious cases such as bacteremia or infections affecting bones or meninges in the most fragile subjects. Symptoms usually appear 12-36 hours after ingesting contaminated food. They may last 4 to 7 days, but they typically have a benign course. We follow the doctor’s instructions as also reported by theHigher Institute of Health.
Prevention is always better than cure
The basic hygiene rules are very effective in preventing salmonellosis. But be careful not to use the same knife for raw meat and then again when it is cooked. Cooking is highly effective but the effect is canceled if we are not careful. Also pay attention to when we break the eggs.
We keep raw meats separate from cooked ones, we always wash fruit and vegetables well before consuming them. Remember to wash your hands and in general try to consume these most risky foods well cooked. We sanitize all kitchen utensils well.
Hence, fever, nausea and diarrhea could be symptoms not only of the flu but also of this foodborne zoonotic disease. We never underestimate these symptoms and consult our family doctor immediately. But we also remember to pay attention to the sponges for washing dishes, sanitizing them is simple. If we use them without changing them often or cleaning them well we could shed any germs and bacteria just like salmonella.
Deepening
