How to Identify Salmonella

Salmonella is a bacteria that is one of the most frequently reported causes of food-borne illness. Humans usually are infected by salmonella by eating foods such as beef, milk, eggs, lettuce and spinach. Since foods contaminated with salmonella look and smell the same as uncontaminated items, you can identify salmonella through symptoms it may cause such as diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. These symptoms generally appear 8 to 72 hours after eating salmonella contaminated foods.

Things You'll Need

• Thermometer
• Stool culture

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Instructions

Identifying Salmonella through Symptoms

• 1

  Take note of how many bowel movements you have had in an hour's time and feel whether it is accompanied by abdominal cramps. If you experience diarrhea in a short period of time after eating a certain food you could have salmonella. Drink plenty of water or electrolyte fluids to prevent dehydration caused by diarrhea. Do not take antidiarrheal medication as it may prolong your salmonella infection.

• 2

  Look into the sensation of vomiting caused by salmonella. Do not take antiemetic medications that prevent you from vomiting because vomiting helps your body eliminate the infectious salmonella bacteria.

• 3

  Place a thermometer under your tongue or ear to check your temperature. You may have salmonella poisoning if you have a fever 8 to 72 hours after eating a certain food. Take a fever reducer for relief.

• 4

  Be conscious of unexplained headaches, muscle aches or chills as it could be a sign of salmonella poisoning. Take a pain reliever for temporary relief from these symptoms.

• 5

  Check your skin in a well lit area for any red spots on your skin, known as rose spots, to identify salmonella poisoning.

• 6

  Take a stool culture to your doctor to test for specific antibodies that are linked to salmonella.