What causes Salmonella infections (salmonellosis)?
Salmonella live in the intestines of birds, animals and humans. Most human infections are caused by eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated by feces (excrement). Foods that are most commonly infected are: • Uncooked meat, seafood and poultry – contamination most commonly occurs during the slaughtering process. Harvesting seafoods in contaminated waters is also a common cause. • Uncooked eggs – the Salmonella are usually present in the eggs when laid if the chicken is infected. Raw eggs may be found in some types of mayonnaise and homemade sauces. • Fruits and vegetables – if fruit and vegetables have been watered or washed in contaminated water there is a much higher chance they will be contaminated. Some kitchen practices may contaminate fruits and vegetables – if the person preparing the food handles raw meat and then touches the fruit without washing his/her hands, for example. • Lack of hygiene – kitchen surfaces that are not kept clean, lack of handwashing procedu
