Definition
Salmonella is a rather high food infectious toxinfection caused by bacteria called Salmonella. These microorganisms are normally present in the gastrointestinal tract of numerous animals, but in humans they create damage. More precisely, for the human organism, salmonellosis is a gastrointestinal infection responsible for severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea, bloody stools and nausea.
Causes
Salmonellosis is caused by the insult of a bacterium belonging to the family of the Enterobacteriaceae, genus Salmonella. The infection is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, through the intake of food contaminated with infected animal feces.
- Foods at risk: creams based on raw eggs, eggs / undercooked 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 side effects limited to the gastrointestinal level, such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, dehydration, muscle pain, liquid stools with mucus and / or blood emissions, nausea, vomiting. Sometimes, the infection can degenerate and create extra-intestinal disorders: arthritis, asthenia, chills, high fever, meningitis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia.
Natural Care
Information on Salmonellosis - Drugs for the Treatment of Salmonellosis is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Salmonellosis - Salmonellosis Drugs.
drugs
Being a bacterial infection, it would be natural to think that salmonellosis can be treated exclusively with an antibiotic treatment; however, it is important to emphasize that salmonella infection, in principle, is not considered a serious disease, since it can regress even on its own without having serious consequences. In light of these considerations, it is possible to state that the administration of antibiotic drugs is reserved exclusively for those patients who are weak, AIDS patients and the elderly, and clearly for young children, whose immune defenses are not fully developed.
The reintegration of mineral salts and the rehydration of liquids is fundamental.
Salmonellosis can be prevented by implementing simple hygienic-behavioral measures, which should always be followed, not only to prevent salmonellosis:
- Wash hands thoroughly before handling food
- Wash the vegetables and fruit before use with running water; recommended to add food disinfectants or baking soda to ensure better cleaning of vegetables
- Pay particular attention to the preparation of sauces and creams with fresh raw eggs
- Separate raw and cooked meats in order to avoid cross-bacterial contamination
- Avoid eating eggs, poultry and raw or undercooked meat (especially those of dubious origin)
- Cook "suspect" foods very well
Antibiotic therapy : reserved for severe invasive forms of salmonellosis, in the elderly and 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 supported by microorganisms belonging to the same genus (Salmonella), but to different species ( S . typhi ). To treat severe salmonella gastroenteritis, take 500 mg of oral medication twice a day for a variable period of 5 to 7 days. For immunocompromised patients, prolong therapy for two weeks. For more information, consult your doctor.
- Cefotaxima (eg. Cefotaxima, Aximad, Lirgosin, Lexor): the drug (third-generation cephalosporin) should be 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 the healing time for salmonellosis. Generally, the sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim that make up each tablet are formulated in a 5: 1 ratio: for example, one tablet may contain 400 mg of sulfamethoxazole and 80 mg of trimethoprim. As an indication, take one tablet every 12 hours (posology for adults) for at least 5 days.
Therapy for the control of fever in the context of salmonellosis : salmonella fever, generally high, should be treated as if it were a common fever; the most widely 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 bring down the fever. The drug can also be taken intravenously: 1 gram every 6 hours or 650 mg every 4 hours for adults and adolescents weighing more than 50 kilos; if the patient weighs less than 50 kilos, give 15 mg / kg every 6 hours or 12.5 mg / kg every 4 hours.
Electrolytic therapy : it is recommended to take a large quantity of fluids (to avoid dehydration), combining mineral supplements: diarrhea and vomiting, in fact, can cause dehydration and loss of mineral salts and vitamins, which are very important for the correct functioning of the organism. Fluid supplementation can also take place in the hospital, intravenously: the solution must contain mineral salts, vitamins, sugars and water.
The administration of probiotics and lactic acid bacteria is also recommended for the rebalancing of the intestinal bacterial flora altered by salmonellosis.
