Salmonellosis is a bacterial infection that generally affects the intestinal tract and occasionally the bloodstream. It is one of the more common causes of diarrheal illness in Wisconsin with about a thousand cases reported each year.
Any person can get salmonellosis.
Salmonella are spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water or by direct or indirect contact with fecal material from infected people or animals. People exposed to salmonella bacteria may experience mild to severe diarrhea, abdominal pains, fever, and occasionally vomiting for several days. Bloodstream infections are infrequent but can be quite serious, particularly in the very young or elderly. The symptoms generally appear 12-36 hours after exposure, but they can occur as quickly as 6 hours or as long as 72 hours after exposure. Salmonella are widely distributed in our food chain and environment.