Salmonella is a genus of bacteria.
Salmonella is a term used to refer to a genus of bacteria that are part of the Enterobacteriaceae family. According to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), when the concept is written with a single L ( salmonella ), it refers to one of these anaerobic bacteria that can cause food contamination.
The Salmonella bacteria - named after an American veterinarian named Daniel Elmer Salmon - is Gram negative (since it does not change its color to violet or blue when the so-called Gram stain is applied), it does not use oxygen in its metabolic processes and uses glucose .
Salmonella resides in the intestines of people and animals and even on the skin of some reptiles. It is a zoonosis agent: it causes diseases in animals that are then transmitted to people.
Salmonella bacteria and salmonellosis
Humans can contract salmonellosis , a contagious disease that is caused by salmonella. This disorder is one of the most frequent poisonings among those caused by food or water .
Since salmonella usually lives in the intestines of pigeons, parrots, and other birds, people often get salmonellosis when they eat food that has come into contact with fecal matter from these animals.
Although products from animals (such as milk, eggs and meat) are those most associated with the source of salmonella and the cause of salmonellosis, some vegetables and certain fruits can also contain this bacteria. One of the precautions to prevent salmonella from staying alive and causing illness is to cook the food until there is no longer any trace of raw material . Vegetables and fruits do not have this requirement, since it is usually enough to wash them properly .
Just as contact with the fecal matter of animals that have salmonella bacteria in their intestines can infect other animals and then negatively affect the health of humans who consume products derived from them, lack of attention in the kitchen can lead to unnecessary contamination of certain foods ; For example, if when handling raw meat we do not wash our hands properly and touch other ingredients.
Salmonellosis can manifest itself with constipation or diarrhea, nausea, headache, stomach upset, and fever . In the most severe cases, the disease can lead to intestinal perforation .
This disease caused by bacteria of the Salmonella genus is diagnosed by an analysis of fecal matter and is treated with different antibiotics .
Eggs may contain bacteria from the Salmonella genus.
an enterocolitis
Salmonella enterocolitis , for its part, is an infection that occurs in the small intestine (more precisely, in its lining) due to this bacteria. This is one of the most common types of food poisoning, and it is enough to eat a food that contains salmonella to acquire it. Statistically, a large part of the individuals who contract this condition are under 20 years old. In addition to consuming the aforementioned foods in unsuitable conditions, this infection can be contracted if:
- We live with someone who has recently suffered from an infection caused by the same bacteria.
- We have visited a convalescent institution, such as a nursing home or hospital , or, even more so, if we have worked there.
- We live with animals such as snakes, turtles or iguanas, since amphibians and reptiles have salmonella in their bodies, as mentioned above.
- We suffer from some type of disorder that weakens our immune system.
- We have regularly consumed a drug used to block the production of acid in the stomach.
- We have ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
- We have recently ingested some antibiotics .