How to Tell If You Got Infected by Salmonella

Salmonella bacteria are often found in undercooked or raw poultry, eggs, meat, and even water. In some rare instances salmonella can also be found on pets, especially turtles. Handling pets that carry the bacteria can lead to illness, while ingesting this bacteria will cause moderate to severe food poisoning. Being able to recognize the symptoms of a salmonella infection will help avoid serious complications and an unnecessarily prolonged illness.

Instructions

How to Tell If You Got Infected by Salmonella

• 1

  Recognize and document all symptoms. The most common symptoms of salmonella exposure are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle and abdominal pains. In some cases, stools will be bloody or contain mucus.

• 2

  Analyze and record all activities that took place immediately before onset of symptoms. In most salmonella infections, symptoms occur within 12 to 36 hours of initial exposure. If you handled any animals, drunk water from a new or unusual source, or eaten any food that might have been undercooked or were exposed to undercooked meat, poultry, or eggs, you may have been infected.

• 3

  Consult a physician for further testing. Having a stool sample analyzed is the surest way to find out whether you have been infected by salmonella. Because there are several infectious strains of the bacteria, a stool sample will help your doctor determine how best to care for you.