What causes salmonellosis?
You can get salmonellosis by eating food contaminated with salmonella. This can happen in the following ways: • Food may be contaminated during food processing or food handling. • Food may become contaminated by the unwashed hands of an infected food handler. A frequent cause is a food handler who does not wash his or her hands with soap after using the bathroom. • Salmonella may also be found in the feces of some pets, especially those with diarrhea. You can become infected if you do not wash your hands after contact with these feces. • Reptiles, baby chicks and ducklings, and small rodents such as hamsters are particularly likely to carry salmonella. You should always wash your hands immediately after handling one of these animals, even if the animal is healthy. Adults should also be careful that children wash their hands after handling reptiles, baby chicks or ducklings, or small rodents. Beef, poultry, milk, and eggs are most often infected with salmonella. However, vegetables may
