What is Salmonella and why does it make me sick? - CBS46 News

What is Salmonella and why does it make me sick?

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(Meredith/CDC) – We've all been told not to eat foods contaminated with Salmonella. But why? What exactly is Salmonella and how does it make us sick?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has done quite a bit of research on the topic, and here’s what they discovered.

What is Salmonella?

To put it simply, Salmonella is a bacterium that makes people sick. Salmonella is the name of a group of bacteria and is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the United States.

Usually, symptoms (listed below) last 4-7 days and most people get better without treatment. But, Salmonella can cause more serious illness in older adults, infants, and persons with chronic diseases, according to FoodSafety.gov.

Salmonella was discovered by an American scientist named Dr. Salmon and has been known to cause illness for more than 125 years. The illness people get from a Salmonella infection is called salmonellosis.

How deadly is Salmonella?



However, in some persons, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

What does Salmonella do to the human body?


  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea/bloody diarrhea
  • Abdominal cramping
  • Fever 

Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including:

  • Arterial infections 
  • Endocarditis
  • Arthritis
  • Muscle pain
  • Eye irritation
  • Urinary tract symptoms

Anyone exhibiting these signs after having contact with potentially contaminated foods should contact their healthcare providers.

What does Salmonella do to my pets?

In some cases, some pet foods can be contaminated by Salmonella. If your pet starts showing the following symptoms, they may have an infection:

  • Lethargic
  • Have diarrhea/bloody diarrhea
  • Fever
  • Vomiting.
  • Decreased appetite
  • Abdominal pain


Preventing Salmonella

The CDC has provided a list of tips for you to minimize your chances of getting Salmonella:



Information for this article was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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