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Salmonella

Cause:

Salmonella, a bacteria, that causes typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, and foodborne illness. It is estimated that from 2 to 4 million cases of salmonellosis occur in the U.S. annually.

Occurrence in Animals:

Most animals, e.g., mammals, birds, reptiles and insects. Farm animals (e.g. cattle, horses, pigs) as well as companion animals (e.g., dogs, cats) may shed Salmonella in their feces. Reptiles (e.g. turtles, iguana) are also a very common source of this infection. Laboratory rodents are rarely infected, unless part of a specific experiment with this organism. Salmonella can also be shed intermittently by asymptomatic carriers. Salmonella can persist in the environment for several months.

Source of Infection in Animals:

Environmental sources of the organism include water, soil, insects, factory surfaces, kitchen surfaces, animal feces, raw meats, raw poultry, and raw seafoods.

Transmission:

Accidental ingestion (fecal-oral route) both directly and indirectly through objects contaminated with feces or gastrointestinal tract contents (at necropsy).

Observable Signs of Infection:

Animals:

  • Diarrhea is the most common presentation in animals.

Humans:

  • Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain.

Precautions:

  • Good personal hygiene
    • WASH HANDS after handling animals, particularly those giving birth
    • No eating, drinking, smoking, etc., around animals or their environments
  • Avoid hand-to-mouth contact
  • Wear coveralls and gloves if in contact with animals that have diarrhea or their environment and wear gloves, face mask and goggles when cleaning contaminated areas
  • Immunocompromised individuals may experience serious disease from contact with organisms that cause GI infection and should take appropriate precautions.
  • Use boot dip, dedicated boots, or disposable boot covers when accessing areas of potentially infectious animals

Reference:

Additional Information:

Iowa State University- Salmonallosis (pdf)
Public Health Agency of Canada- Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for Infectious Substances
CDC- Salmonellosis
Cornell- Salmonella