Definition
It defines itself salmonellosisa food poisoning of fairly high contagiousness, caused by bacteria called Salmonella. These microorganisms are normally present in the gastrointestinal tract of many animals, but in humans they cause damage. More precisely, for the human organism salmonellosis represents a gastrointestinal infection responsible for severe cramping abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stools and nausea.
Causes
Salmonellosis is caused by the insult of a bacterium belonging to the family of Enterobacteriaceae, genus Salmonella. The infection is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, through the ingestion of food contaminated with infected animal faeces.
- Hazardous foods: raw egg creams, undercooked eggs / chicken, crustaceans, molluscs, fish
The pathogen responsible for salmonellosis, although belonging to the salmonella genus, is not the same responsible for typhoid fever
Symptoms
More often than not, salmonellosis is responsible for limited gastrointestinal side effects, such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, dehydration, muscle pain, liquid stools with mucus and / or blood, nausea, vomiting. Sometimes, the toxinfection can degenerate and create extra-intestinal disorders: arthritis, asthenia, chills, high fever, meningitis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia.
Natural Cures
The information on Salmonellosis - Salmonellosis Treatment Medicines is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Salmonellosis - Medicines to Treat Salmonellosis.
Medicines
Since this is a "bacterial infection, it would be natural to think that salmonellosis can be cured only with antibiotic treatment; however, it must be emphasized that salmonella infection, in principle, is not considered a serious disease, since it can regress even on its own without reporting serious consequences. In light of these considerations, it is possible to affirm that the administration of antibiotic drugs is reserved exclusively for those defied patients, sick with AIDS and the elderly, as well as clearly for small children, whose immune defenses are not fully developed.
Fundamental is the reintegration of mineral salts and the rehydration of liquids.
Salmonellosis can be prevented through the implementation of simple hygienic-behavioral precautions, which should always be followed, not only to prevent salmonellosis:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before handling food
- Wash vegetables and fruit with running water before consumption; it is recommended to add food disinfectants or sodium bicarbonate to ensure better cleaning of the vegetables
- Pay particular attention to the preparation of sauces and creams with fresh raw eggs
- Separate raw meats from cooked ones to avoid bacterial cross contamination
- Avoid the consumption of eggs, poultry and raw or undercooked meat (especially that of dubious origin)
- Cook "suspicious" foods very well
The following are the classes of drugs most used in the therapy for salmonellosis, and some examples of pharmacological specialties; it is up to the doctor to choose the most suitable active ingredient and dosage for the patient, based on the severity of the disease, the state of health of the patient and his response to treatment:
Antibiotic therapy: reserved for severe-invasive forms of salmonellosis, in the elderly and in young children infected with Salmonella.
- Ciprofloxacin (eg. Ciprofloxac, Samper, Ciproxin, Kinox): it is an antibiotic drug (quinolone derivative) also indicated for the treatment of typhoid fever, always sustained by microorganisms belonging to the same genus (Salmonella), but to different species (S. typhi). To treat severe salmonella gastroenteritis, take 500 mg of the drug orally, twice a day, for 5 to 7 days. For immunocompromised patients, prolong therapy for two weeks. For more information, consult your doctor.
- Cefotaxime (eg. Cefotaxime, Aximad, Lirgosin, Lexor): the drug (third generation cephalosporin) is taken intravenously or intramuscularly at a dose of 1-2 grams, every 8 hours. The approximate duration of therapy for immunocompromised patients is 14 days.
- Sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim (eg Bactrim): the pharmacological preparation is formulated with two active sulfonamides which, acting in synergy, enhance the therapeutic effect, speeding up healing times from salmonellosis. Generally, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim that make up each tablet they are formulated in a 5: 1 ratio: for example, one tablet may contain 400 mg of sulfamethoxazole and 80 mg of trimethoprim As a guideline, take one tablet every 12 hours (adult dosage) for at least 5 days.
Fever control therapy in the context of salmonellosis: Salmonella fever, generally high, should be treated as if it were a common fever; the most used drug in therapy for this purpose is paracetamol.
- Paracetamol or acetaminophen (eg. Acetamol, Tachipirina, Efferalgan, Sanipirina, Piros, Tachidol): take the drug in case of fever associated with salmonellosis, orally in the form of tablets, syrup, effervescent sachets, or suppositories; it is recommended to take paracetamol at a dosage of 325-650 mg every 4-6 hours for 6-8 consecutive days, to lower the fever. It is also possible to take the drug intravenously: 1 gram every 6 hours or 650 mg every 4 hours for adults and adolescents who weigh more than 50 kilos; if the patient weighs less than 50 pounds, administer 15 mg / kg every 6 hours or 12.5 mg / kg every 4 hours.
Electrolyte therapy: it is recommended to take a large amount of fluids (to avoid dehydration), combining mineral supplements: diarrhea and vomiting, in fact, can cause dehydration and loss of minerals and vitamins, which are very important for the correct functioning of the body. The integration of liquids can also take place in the hospital, intravenously: the solution must contain mineral salts, vitamins, sugars and water.
It is also recommended to administer probiotics and lactic ferments to rebalance the intestinal flora altered by salmonellosis.
