Direct links

News about salmonella (in Dutch)
Deze informatie in het Nederlands

What are the symptoms of a salmonella infection?

People who have a salmonella infection usually suffer from:

• diarrhoea
• stomach cramps
• nausea
• vomiting

These symptoms often begin between 12 and 96 hours after eating contaminated food. The symptoms usually go away on their own after 3 to 7 days.

Sometimes people who have a salmonella infection also have additional symptoms:

• headache
• fever
• muscle pain
• joint pain

Who can become very ill from salmonella? 

Salmonella is specifically dangerous for older people and young children. They are at risk of dehydration, which can cause the gastrointestinal symptoms to grow worse. The bacterial infection is particularly dangerous to:

• children under 5 years
• people over 65 years
• people who have vascular problems
• people with cancer
• people who do not have effective resistance against disease (immunocompromised)

In people with a weaker immune system, for example due to another illness, the infection could spread into the blood. This can lead to serious symptoms, such as septicaemia (blood poisoning), meningitis or urinary tract infections. This is not very likely, however: under 5% of people with a salmonella infection develop such serious symptoms.

Is it dangerous to get a salmonella infection during pregnancy?

An infection involving salmonella bacteria is not usually dangerous during pregnancy. In rare cases, it is possible for an infection to develop in the uterus, although this almost never happens. However, in those rare cases, a uterine infection could have serious consequences for the baby, such as:

• serious salmonella infection in the newborn baby
• miscarriage
• infant death

How could I be exposed to salmonella?

Many animals can be carriers of salmonella, including chickens, pigs and cattle. They do not usually become ill from the bacteria. However, they can spread the bacteria to others, thus making people ill. The bacteria are also found in the meat and milk and on the eggs from infected animals. People who eat these products ingest the bacteria and can become ill. This mainly happens when people eat raw meat or uncooked eggs, or if these products are not cooked at a hot enough temperature. 

Food items can also pick up the bacteria if they are stored in direct contact with contaminated products. The bacteria could also be found on fruit or vegetables through this route. The risk that people will infect each other is minimal.

How can I prevent a salmonella infection?

Good hygiene is a very important way to prevent salmonella. This is especially important in the kitchen:

• Follow the storage instruction on the packaging.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Always wash your hands before and during cooking and before eating the food.
• Do not allow food products that you are going to eat raw to touch uncooked animal products, such as meat and eggs. Raw foods could include salads, fresh vegetables or some types of fish.
• Use different cutting boards to chop raw meat and raw vegetables.
• Store eggs separately from other food. Salmonella could also be found on the outside of an eggshell, so wash your hands after touching eggs.
• Always heat meat, fish, eggs and shellfish thoroughly until they are cooked.

Is there any treatment for the symptoms caused by salmonella?

The symptoms caused by a salmonella infection will go away on their own. If you have a salmonella infection, it is important to drink enough and to get enough sugar and salt. This helps prevent dehydration. Make sure you drink enough of these liquids:

• tea
• water
• bouillon
• oral dehydration salts (ORS), available from your local chemist/drugstore

Contact your GP if you find blood in your diarrhoea, if you develop a high fever, or if the diarrhoea has not started improving after a week. 

How common is salmonella infection in the Netherlands?

About 41,000 people in the Netherlands develop a sudden gastrointestinal infection caused by salmonella every year. About 6,000 of these people go to the GP for associated symptoms, and 1,000 end up in hospital. Most people only experience mild symptoms that go away on their own. 

Can I get typhoid and paratyphoid fever from salmonella?

Typhoid and paratyphoid fever are diseases that are endemic in tropical and subtropical countries. They are caused by a type of salmonella that is not found in the Netherlands. That means that it is not possible to get these diseases in the Netherlands. However, it is possible to contract typhoid or paratyphoid fever while travelling in a country whether that type of salmonella bacteria is found. 

The symptoms of typhoid and paratyphoid fever are often more serious than those seen in non-typhoidal salmonella infections in the Netherlands. The first symptoms include high fever, loss of appetite, headache, lethargy and stomach pain. Symptoms usually start about 8 to 13 days after exposure. People with typhoid often develop constipation (painful, difficult and infrequent bowel movements). People with paratyphoid fever often have diarrhoea.

There is a vaccine against typhoid. Typhoid vaccination is sometimes advised before travelling to tropical or subtropical countries. Are you planning a trip? And would you like to know which vaccinations you will need beforehand? Contact the Municipal Health Services (GGD) near you, or a GP or other doctor specialising in travel medicine.