Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. How do I find out if the symptoms Im having are due to salmonellosis rather than some other condition?
Many different kinds of illnesses can cause diarrhea, fever, or abdominal cramps. Determining that Salmonella is the cause of the illness requires laboratory tests to identify Salmonella in the stools of an infected person. These tests are sometimes not performed unless the laboratory is instructed specifically to look for the organism. Once Salmonella has been identified, further testing can determine its specific type, and which antibiotics could be used to treat it.
