For your info:

Salmonella are a group of bacteria that cause a variety of diseases in
humans including typhoid, diarrhoea, septicemia and meningitis.  There is
also an asymptomatic carrier state.  The commonest presentation, diarrhoea,
requires no more than continued breastfeeding or, if dehydrated or not
breastfed, oral fluid therapy (short term).  People who are
immunocompromised, sick or under 3 months may require antibiotic therapy
but, in general, antibiotics are not indicated.  Rarely intravenous fluids
are required.

The organism is found in uncooked or contaminated foods including dairy
produce, eggs and chicken, hence the recommendation not to consume these
items unpasteurised or raw (whichever applies).  When visiting endemic
regions of the world this is even more important.  In the retail trade,
cooked and uncooked meats should not be stored or served together as
contamination could occur.

Apart from contracting salmonella from contaminated food or drink, it is
spread by poor hand-washing (so-called "fecal-oral" spread).  It is a good
reason to wash one's hands before eating or handling food (whether one's
own or someone elses meal), after using the washroom or changing diapers
and after handling animals.  Airborne spread is rare.

Breast-feeding protects against diarrhoeal illness.  I am not aware of iron
in formula being a risk factor and have never seen any references to this
effect:  I would be happy to be enlightened.  Occasionally commercial
products have been contaminated during processing - another risk of
breastmilk substitutes.  As most of us are aware the use of bottles in the
Third World is associated with one of the commonest causes of death in
childhood - gastroenteritis - Salmonella being one of the causative organisms.

In summary, breast-feeding, hand-washing and avoiding poorly prepared or
unpasteurised food will prevent most diarrhoeal illnesses, including
Salmonella.

Hope that this helps.

PS There is a vaccine for typhoid for travellers to endemic areas.

Khalid



Khalid Aziz
Memorial University of Newfoundland