What Is Salmonella?
Health ConditionsInfectious DiseasesSalmonella

What Is Salmonella?

What Is Salmonella?
Everyday Health
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Updated on March 30, 2026
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Salmonella is a group of bacteria that commonly cause foodborne illness. An infection with the bacteria is called salmonellosis (or salmonella for short), and you can get it by consuming contaminated food products, including raw poultry, eggs, raw or unpasteurized dairy, beef, and in some cases fruits and vegetables. Processed foods may also cause salmonellosis. You can also get it by handling pets — particularly some birds and reptiles.

Salmonella infections are extremely common — the bacteria causes more than a million infections in the United States each year.

Most people who get a salmonella infection fully recover without treatment, but in some cases, the illness can be severe enough to require hospitalization.

Types of Salmonella

There are many types of salmonella — as many as 2,500 have been categorized — but only just under 100 types are known to cause infections in humans.

Most of these cause gastrointestinal illness, but other types, such as Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi, which are not common in the United States, can cause the life-threatening illnesses typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever. Most people in the United States with these infections acquire them while traveling abroad in areas where these diseases are common.

Signs and Symptoms of Salmonella

Salmonella often causes mild to severe gastroenteritis, which is inflammation of the stomach or intestines. Such symptoms can be very similar to those caused by the viral infection commonly known as the stomach flu. Symptoms typically begin sometime between six hours to six days after exposure to the bacteria (though it can take several weeks for some people to develop symptoms). Common symptoms include:

Many people don’t need to see their doctor for a salmonella infection, as symptoms often subside within a few days.

But serious cases often require treatment to prevent complications. Call your doctor right away if you experience the following symptoms:

  • Persistent diarrhea that lasts longer than two days
  • Blood in your stools
  • Fever higher than 102 degrees F
  • Continuous vomiting and inability to keep liquids down
  • Reduced urine output and dry mouth and throat (which are signs of dehydration)
  • Dizziness, especially when standing up
  • Severe abdominal pain

Causes and Risk Factors of Salmonella

Salmonella lives in the intestinal tract of humans and other animals, and can pass out of the body through feces. The bacteria can infect someone when they touch or eat something that’s been contaminated with salmonella. Some common ways in which a person can become infected include:

  • Eating food, drinking water, or making contact with water that has been contaminated with the intestinal content of an animal or a person or with their feces
  • Undercooked beef, poultry, or fish (cooking destroys salmonella)
  • Raw eggs or products containing uncooked eggs, such as cookie dough
  • Raw or unpasteurized dairy or dairy products, such as milk
  • Raw vegetables or fruit
  • Food that has been handled by a food worker who hasn’t properly washed their hands
  • Petting an animal or handling the waste of an animal, particularly when it’s an animal that is known to carry salmonella, such as lizards, turtles, or baby birds
Anyone can get salmonella, but those who are at increased risk of getting a severe infection include:

  • Children younger than 5
  • Infants who are not breastfed
  • Adults 65 and older
  • Individuals with a weakened immune system (such as people with HIV or sickle cell disease, cancer patients, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and those taking corticosteroids)
  • People taking antacids (stomach acid can kill many types of salmonella bacteria; antacids lower your stomach’s acidity, which allows more bacteria to survive)
  • People taking antibiotics (these can lower the amount of “good” bacteria and leave you vulnerable to the infection)
  • People with inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, which damages your intestinal lining and makes it easier for salmonella to flourish
  • Pet owners (especially those who own birds and reptiles)

How Is Salmonella Diagnosed?

Since symptoms of salmonella are similar to those of many illnesses, doctors rely on lab tests to diagnose the infection. The test that’s commonly used first is one that examines a person’s stool sample to look for the presence of the bacteria. Samples of a person’s blood or urine may also be taken.

Treatment and Medication Options for Salmonella

Your treatment for salmonella will depend on factors like your symptoms, age, and general health. Most cases of salmonella get better within a week without any treatment. The main concern when you have food poisoning — from salmonella or other infectious organisms — is dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhea. Below are some tips your doctor may recommend to treat your symptoms at home.


  • Drink plenty of fluids, such as water, sports drinks or Pedialyte (which can help replace lost electrolytes), and clear broths.
  • If you’re having trouble keeping anything down, try sipping small amounts of water or sucking on ice chips.
  • Eat saltine crackers or pretzels to replace electrolytes (sodium is an electrolyte).
  • Eat small meals throughout the day.
  • Do not take antidiarrheal medicine unless your doctor recommends it; these medications may prolong diarrhea from a salmonella infection and may lead to other complications.

If your doctor is concerned that you may be at risk for severe dehydration, or if you have a high fever or severe abdominal pain, they may recommend you go to the hospital for treatment with intravenous fluids and monitoring.

Medication Options

If you have a weakened immune system or if your symptoms are severe and not getting better, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat your salmonella infection. Antibiotics may be recommended for:

  • People with severe illness (such as high fever, severe diarrhea, or bacteria that has spread to their bloodstream)
  • Adults older than 50 with underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease
  • Adults 65 and older
  • Infants younger than 1 year
  • People with compromised or weakened immune systems (such as cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy or people with HIV/AIDS)
Doctors may prescribe antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), azithromycin (Zithromax), and ceftriaxone, to treat patients with severe salmonella infections. But antibiotic-resistant salmonella has become a problem in recent years. Infections from these “multi-drug-resistant strains” of salmonella can be more severe and result in higher rates of hospitalization.

As many as 16 percent of the salmonella strains that cause foodborne illness are now identified as being resistant to at least one essential antibiotic — resulting in an estimated 212,500 cases a year. And an estimated 2 percent of salmonella has been shown to be resistant to three or more antibiotics, which translates into approximately 20,800 cases a year.

Lifestyle and Prevention of Salmonella

Most salmonella infections are caused by contaminated food. The best way to reduce your risk for getting salmonella is to follow good food safety measures and take steps to prevent food poisoning.

Follow the four rules of food safety recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

  • Clean Wash your hands and surfaces such as cutting boards and countertops often and rinse fruits and vegetables under running water.
  • Separate Avoid cross-contamination by using a separate cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and seafood, and by keeping these items separated from other food
  • Cook Make sure food is cooked to the recommended internal temperature to kill germs.
  • Chill Keep your refrigerator temperature at 40 degrees F or below and never leave perishable food out of the fridge for more than two hours. Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or in the microwave, because leaving food out on the counter to defrost can allow bacteria to multiply rapidly.
Note that food contaminated with salmonella typically doesn’t appear or smell “off,” but tends to look and smell normal.

Remember, too, to always wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet or changing diapers and to wash your hands after contact with animals.

Prognosis of Salmonella

In most cases, salmonella is a brief illness that causes stomach cramps and diarrhea for a few days. Symptoms typically last for about four to seven days but may linger as long as several weeks, although it may take a few weeks or months before their bowel function (how often they poop and the consistency of their stools) returns to normal.

In some cases, however, symptoms can be more severe, last longer, and may lead to hospitalization, long-term complications, and even death. Each year in the United States, around 26,500 people are hospitalized and 420 people die due to salmonella infection.

Complications of Salmonella

Salmonella infections can cause complications if the bacteria spreads from the digestive system to other places in the body, including the bloodstream, bones, joints, and central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

Some possible complications of salmonella include:

Dehydration People who have a salmonella infection are at risk for losing too much fluid due to vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms of dehydration include:

  • Decreased urine production
  • Dry mouth
  • Sunken eyes
  • Dizziness
  • Heart fluttering

Bacteremia Salmonella can spread from your intestines into your bloodstream. If that happens, infection can spread to other areas of your body, including:

  • The tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord (causing meningitis)
  • The lining of your heart or its valves (causing endocarditis)
  • Bones or bone marrow (causing osteomyelitis)

Reactive Arthritis (or Reiter’s Syndrome) A salmonella infection can increase your risk of developing this inflammatory condition. Symptoms typically include:

  • Pain, stiffness, swelling, or redness in the joints
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Painful urination

The Takeaway

  • Symptoms of salmonella infection often include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, and fatigue that can last several days and may lead to dehydration.
  • Infection usually occurs after consuming contaminated food or water, most commonly undercooked poultry, eggs, unpasteurized dairy products, or raw produce exposed to the bacteria.
  • Most people recover with rest and adequate hydration, though some cases — particularly in young children, older adults, or people with weakened immune systems — may require medical treatment.
  • Seek medical care if symptoms become severe, persist longer than a few days, or include high fever, signs of dehydration, or bloody diarrhea.

FAQ

How do I know if I have salmonella?
Common symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms usually appear 6 to 48 hours after infection and typically last four to seven days.
Salmonella spreads through contaminated food, water, surfaces, or contact with infected animals or people. Poor food handling and hygiene increase the risk.
Seek medical care if symptoms are severe, last more than a few days, include dehydration or high fever, or affect infants, older adults, or people with weakened immune systems.
Wash hands regularly, cook poultry and eggs thoroughly, avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen, refrigerate foods promptly, and wash fruits and vegetables before eating.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. How Salmonella Infection Happens. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. October 4, 2024.
  2. About Salmonella Infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. October 4, 2024.
  3. Salmonella Infection: Diagnosis & Treatment. Mayo Clinic. April 30, 2025.
  4. Typhoid Fever. Mayo Clinic. December 24, 2025.
  5. Salmonella Infection. Mayo Clinic. April 30, 2025.
  6. Symptoms of Salmonella Infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. October 4, 2024.
  7. Salmonella. Cleveland Clinic. August 24, 2022.
  8. Salmonella Enterocolitis. MedlinePlus. March 16, 2024.
  9. Clinical Overview for Salmonellosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. October 7, 2024.
  10. Drug-Resistant Nontyphoidal Salmonella. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  11. Preventing Food Poisoning. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November 24, 2025.
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