March 26, 2008

Steer Clear of Salmonella

A new study shows that food poisoning can be especially dangerous—even deadly—for HIV-positive people. The best way to beat Salmonella? Avoid it altogether.

A recent study conducted by scientists from the University of California Davis School of Medicine published online by the journal Nature Medicine found that while Salmonella usually just causes seven days of diarrhea in most people, the food-borne bacterium Salmonella can spread to the bloodstream and other major organs in people living with HIV, causing a potentially fatal condition called non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes (NTS) bacteremia. In response to our coverage of this news and your comments about the dangers of food poisoning for people living with HIV, POZ decided to share some tips on how you can best protect yourself from Salmonella infection.

Salmonellosis, or the disease caused by Salmonella infection, has been shown to affect HIV-positive people up to 100 times more than HIV-negative people. What’s more, its effects can be more serious in HIV-positive people. Salmonella bacteria—one of the most frequently reported causes of food-borne illnesses—can enter the body through contaminated foods or liquids. Symptoms of salmonellosis include severe diarrhea, fever, chills, abdominal pain and vomiting. Call your doctor if you think you have salmonellosis; go to the nearest emergency room if you are experiencing symptoms that are severe, such as extreme dizziness, fainting, sharp cramping pains or difficulty breathing.

Though there are antibiotic treatments to help treat the infection, one of the best ways to protect yourself is to lower your risk of Salmonella infection in the first place. Check out these tips:  

•    Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling foods, and after using the bathroom, changing a baby’s diaper or having contact with animals.
•    When dining out, be cautious of meats and food that you don’t think are completely cooked.
•    Buy pasteurized milk, and only buy eggs in cartons that identify the supplier, making sure to check that they are not cracked or soiled. And look for pasteurized eggs (www.safeeggs.com).
•    Sanitize before, during and after the cooking process. Clean your hands, counter surfaces, cutting boards and utensils that have been in contact with raw meats after each use to avoid spreading bacteria around your kitchen.
•    Know your foods that contain raw eggs, including homemade eggnog, mayo, Caesar salad dressing, cookie dough and undercooked French toast.
•    Be especially careful in the summer months at barbeques and outdoor events. Don’t leave food outside for more than an hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees.

For more tips, and to learn more about treatment options, click here to read the AIDSMeds.com lesson on bacterial diarrhea.

Scroll down to comment on this story.

Previous Comments:

FrenchconnectionUK, Texas, 2008-04-06 01:18:46
I read an excerpt taken from Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry May 26, 2004; that dodecenal, a chemical found in fresh cilantro leaves, often used in making salsa, is effective in killing the bacterial cells in salmonella. Dodecenal has been shown to be twice as potent as the commonly used medicinal antibiotic at killing salmonella. Eat more salsa...but don't rely on salsa alone to safeguard your food, take the common precautions. Godspeed.

Brian, Tampa, 2008-03-28 17:39:42
No shit.

Francisco Bermudez, Bronx N.Y., 2008-03-28 12:29:58
Thanks for the tips,I think your are do a good job.Becuse some people dont know what a t cell is.

Dennie, Pittsburgh, PA, 2008-03-27 10:28:45
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Finally a warning with practical advice on how to deal with it. Your response reaffirms what I have been doing anyhow but may serve to re-enforce my practices in areas that I may have unintentionally become lax. Articles like this assist consumers to be proactive and empowered. Thank you again. Dennie

gil telles, el paso tx, 2008-03-27 09:39:08
AIDS foodbanks carry products with eggs & poultry products that are often unfit to consume by clients. I have personally witnessed the distribution of non-ommercially packaged eggs. The distribution of Egg-Salad sandwiches, donated by walmart, with the nervous warning of the food bank worker,"If your sandwich smells funny don't eat it". Perhaps Poz can offer tips when receiving Products that have the potential of containing the Salmonella bacterium from AIDS foodbanks.