infections
Salmonella Infections
Symptoms ofSalmonellaInfections
When the intestine is infected, symptoms usually start 12 to 48 hours after the bacteria are ingested. Nausea and crampy abdominal pain occur, soon followed by watery diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.Salmonellasymptoms resolve in 1 to 4 days. Occasionally, symptoms are more severe and last a long time. Long after symptoms are gone, a few people continue to excrete the bacteria in their stool. Such people are called carriers. About 10 to 30% of adults develop Reactive Arthritis weeks to months after diarrhea stops. This disorder causes pain and swelling, usually in the hips, knees, and Achilles tendon (which connects the heel bone and calf muscle). Other symptoms may develop if bacteremia develops and infection spreads. For example, if a bone is infected, the area over it is often tender or painful. If a heart valve is infected, people may feel short of breath. If the aorta is infected, the back and abdomen may be painful. People usually recover well. Exceptions are people who had a disorder, particularly one that weakens the immune system, before theSalmonellainfection or who have a complication due to the infection. 