Symptoms of Salmonella Infection

Key points

  • This website focuses on Salmonella that cause diarrhea.
  • Symptoms usually include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
  • Rarely, Salmonella infection can lead to other health problems.
A person sitting down hunched over on a gray chair, holding their stomach with both hands.

Symptoms

Most people with Salmonella infection have

  • Watery diarrhea that might have blood or mucus1
  • Stomach cramps that can be severe

Some people also have

  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite (not feeling hungry)

Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after infection and usually last 4 to 7 days.

1Mucus is thick fluid produced by some parts of the body, including the nose, lungs, and intestines. It may be slippery, slimy, or jelly-like.

When to talk to your doctor

Call your doctor if you have these symptoms

  • Diarrhea or vomiting lasting more than 2 days
  • Bloody poop (including diarrhea) or pee
  • A fever higher than 102°F
  • Signs of dehydration (listed below)
  • Long-term complications (listed below)

What to look for

Dehydration

Dehydration is not having enough fluids in the body. If you have diarrhea or vomiting, be sure to drink plenty of fluids.

Do not wait
‎

Dehydration can happen quickly in young children. Give children with diarrhea or vomiting extra fluids, such as Pedialyte®2 or oral rehydration salts.

Signs of dehydration include little or no peeing, having very dark pee, being very thirsty, having a dry mouth or throat, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and crying without tears.

Complications

Diarrhea lasting a long time

Some people with a Salmonella infection might have diarrhea for several months.

Infection that spreads to other parts of the body

Sometimes, Salmonella infection can spread to urine, blood, bones, joints, the brain, or other internal organs, causing symptoms related to that body part or system.

Some examples of infection outside the intestines include:

  • Infection of the blood (bacteremia)
  • Infection of the membranes lining the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
  • Infection of the bone (osteomyelitis)
  • Infection of a joint (septic arthritis)

Some of these infections can have long-lasting effects.

Reactive arthritis

A small number of people with Salmonella infection develop pain in their joints called reactive arthritis. This condition can last for months or years and can lead to chronic arthritis. People with reactive arthritis may also have irritated eyes and pain while urinating. Reactive arthritis following a Salmonella infection is most common among people who are 15–35 years old.

2The use of trademarks is for identification only and does not imply an endorsement by the Public Health Service or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)