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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Salmonella Infection?

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Posted on Fri, 5 Feb 2016
Question: what to do if you think you have salmonella - could have eaten
undercooked food including eggs
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (12 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
no symptoms, no action

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

if you don't have any symptoms (diarrhea, fever, etc) then no action is required. Actually trying to eradicate Salmonella without being diseased may sometimes lead to a chronic carrier state.

Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (6 minutes later)
is anyone handling this question?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)
Brief Answer:
???

Detailed Answer:
What do you mean? Have you seen my answer?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (4 minutes later)
symptoms are vomiting and diarrhoea. food was eaten about3 hours ago
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (5 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
this is not caused by Salmonella

Detailed Answer:
I see...
Salmonella needs at least 12 hours to cause any symptoms (and usually more than that), so it can't be the cause of your symptoms. The most common cause for such a rapid development of symptoms is ingestion of preformed toxin (Staphylococcal for example). The preformed toxin usually causes vomiting first and diarrhea may follow. Low grade fever may accompany the aforementioned symptoms but the patients can be afebrile.

If there's no fever and no blood in the stool then you should only try symptomatic treatment:
- drugs for vomiting (depending on where you live, there are various choices like metoclopramide, domperidone, etc)
- rehydration. Drinking enough fluids is essential to avoid serious complications like renal failure.

If you develop high fever (and/or blood in the stool) then antibiotic treatment can be considered. Protracted vomiting may lead to dehydration, so in that case a visit to the emergency room might be required. Please also consider that despite the fact that the most common cause is indeed gastroenteritis, other potential causes also exist, so it would be better if you let a doctor examine you for signs of more severe disease.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3809 Questions

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Salmonella Infection?

Brief Answer: no symptoms, no action Detailed Answer: Hello, if you don't have any symptoms (diarrhea, fever, etc) then no action is required. Actually trying to eradicate Salmonella without being diseased may sometimes lead to a chronic carrier state. Kind Regards!