Thursday, August 22, 2013

Complications From Salmonella Infections


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes over 250 different types of food-borne pathogens, with salmonella being one of the most common. Salmonella may seem like an average type of food poisoning, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, it can also lead to several long-term complications that can put your health at serious risk.

Salmonella is a family of bacteria that can cause disease in humans and animals. Because there are thousands of types of this bacteria, they can cause many different kinds of illness. First, salmonellosis occurs when the pathogen attacks the gastrointestinal system. This is the type of the bacteria that is associated with food poisoning. Sometimes, salmonella can leak from the gastrointestinal system into organs such as the spleen and liver. This is called typhoid fever. In some cases, you can develop paratyphoid fever instead.

Normally, most sufferers of salmonella poisoning must only worry about staying hydrated while the illness takes its course. However, the bacterium can escape into the bloodstream with both salmonellosis and typhoid fever. This typically results in a person becoming a carrier for the bacterium. Even though you may not show any symptoms of salmonellosis or typhoid fever, you can still serve as a host to salmonella and pass it on to others.

In extreme cases of salmonella poisoning, a person can develop a condition called Reiter's syndrome, or reactive arthritis. It often develops after typhoid fever or paratyphoid fever, which are enteric diseases. This can result in painful symptoms like conjunctivitis, pain while urinating, and joint pain. Later, reactive arthritis may turn into chronic arthritis. Pain from reactive arthritis can last up to six months, and up to 50% of sufferers can have recurrent arthritic flare-ups following Reiter's syndrome.

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