What is salmonellosis, the violent intestinal infection that affected 162 people who attended a festival in A Coruña.
Salmonella infection is one of the most common food poisonings among the population, as exemplified by the recent outbreak that caused at least 162 people who attended a festival this weekend in the A Coruña municipality of Oza-Cesuras . On Sunday night and early Monday morning, around 50 people went to the Emergency Department of the A Coruña University Hospital Complex (Chuac). They were also treated at other hospitals. Although most have presented mild symptoms, one patient remained under observation as of Monday morning, although his condition was not considered serious.
It's a disease caused by a bacterium that affects the intestinal tract. "Salmonella typically lives in the intestines of animals and humans and is released through feces," so "humans are most often infected through contaminated water or food," Mayo Clinic specialists explain.
What are the causes?Infection occurs after ingesting contaminated products, and the main foods involved are those from poultry , such as eggs, although meat products can also pose a danger if not properly cooked.
Fresh fruits and vegetables , especially imported ones, can also contain the bacteria and transmit the disease because they have been "soaked in the field or washed during processing with salmonella-contaminated water," they add.
On the other hand, food handling is crucial . Many foods are prepared without proper hand hygiene before cooking.
And the warning signs?Salmonellosis usually manifests primarily with vomiting, diarrhea, or nausea , symptoms that are accompanied by abdominal cramps. Fever is often another symptom of this infection. Diarrhea can sometimes be bloody.
The main symptoms usually last two to seven days. Diarrhea can last up to two weeks and cause the infected person's bowels to not return to normal for several months.
However, "some strains of salmonella bacteria cause typhoid fever , a potentially fatal disease that is more common in developing countries," they emphasize.
How is the disease treated?The first step in treating this condition is to replace lost fluids and reverse the dehydration caused by diarrhea and vomiting. However, "severe cases may require hospitalization and intravenous fluids."
The doctor may also prescribe antibiotics and antidiarrheal medications depending on the patient's health. Regarding nutrition, a soft diet with foods cooked with little salt and at medium temperature is recommended. Additionally, spicy foods or excessive condiments should be avoided.
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