Salmonellosis - Symptoms

Symptoms

The bacterium induces responses in the animal it is infecting, and this is what typically causes the symptoms, rather than any direct toxin produced. Symptoms are usually gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea with mucus. Headache, fatigue and rose spots are also possible. These symptoms can be severe, especially in young children and the elderly. Symptoms last generally up to a week, and can appear 12 to 72 hours after ingesting the bacterium.

After bacterial infections, reactive arthritis (Reiters syndrome) can develop. In sickle-cell anemia, osteomyelitis due to Salmonella infection is much more common than in the general population. Though Salmonella infection is frequently the cause of osteomyelitis in sickle-cell anemia patients, it is not the most common cause. The most common cause of osteomyelitis remains Staphylococcus infection.