Salmonellosis (sal-mo-nel-O-sis) is a gastrointestinal disease caused by bacteria called salmonella. This type of bacterium from infected animals is usually found in foods such as poultry, milk, and eggs.

What Is Salmonellosis?

Salmonellosis is an illness caused by salmonella bacteria that affects the intestine, usually resulting in diarrhea. In some people, the infection spreads to the bloodstream and other areas of the body and can be life-threatening unless they receive prompt treatment.

Salmonellosis, named after the American scientist Daniel Salmon, is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the United States. Each year, about 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported to the Centers for Discase Control and Prevention (CDC), and up to 4 million additional cases may go unreported. About 400 people in the United States die each year of complications related to salmonellosis. Infants, the elderly, and people whose immune system* are weakened are most vulnerable to severe infection.

How Do People Get Salmonellosis?

In the United States, people usually get salmonellosis from eating or drinking contaminated food, most often raw milk or undercooked poultry and poultry products such as eggs. Undercooked ground beef or other meat can also cause salmonellosis. In some cases, food can be contaminated by the people handling it. Salmonellosis can also be spread through the stools of some pets, especially reptiles and pets with diarrhea.

A different species of Salmonella bacteria causes typhoid fever, a serious discase common in developing countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Typhoid fever is spread by food and water contaminated with the bacteria. Clean water, pasteurized milk, and effective sewage systems have made typhoid fever rare in the United States and other developed

countries.