U.S. National Library of MedicineNational Institutes of Health
Skip navigation
MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You
Contact Us FAQs Site Map About MedelinePlus
español

Printer-friendly version E-mail this page to a friend
Photograph of a basket of eggs
  • Related Topics

  • Go Local

    • Services and providers for Salmonella Infections in the U.S.
  • National Institutes of Health

Salmonella is the name of a group of bacteria. In the United States, it is the most common cause of foodborne illness. Salmonella occurs in raw poultry, eggs, beef, and sometimes on unwashed fruit and vegetables.

Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and headache. Symptoms usually last 4 - 7 days. Most people get better without treatment. It can be more serious in the elderly, infants and people with chronic conditions. If Salmonella gets into the bloodstream, it can be serious, or even life-threatening. The usual treatment is antibiotics.

You also can get a salmonella infection after handling pets, particularly reptiles like snakes, turtles and lizards. Typhoid fever, a more serious disease caused by Salmonella, frequently occurs in developing countries.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Start Here