Treatment and prevention measures for Salmonella infection

Speaking of Salmonella, many people may not know what kind of fungus it is. In fact, Salmonella belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family. If infected by Salmonella, the patient will develop gastroenteritis, typhoid fever and other diseases. If the condition is serious, it can also cause sepsis, etc. The consequences are terrible. Therefore, in daily life, we must actively prevent Salmonella infection, and if we have been infected, we must actively treat it.

Many people may not have any idea about Salmonella infection. This condition is more common in the elderly, infants, or patients with chronic wasting diseases. Active preventive measures are needed. If accidentally infected, timely treatment is required.

⑴Symptomatic treatment

Patients with gastroenteritis should focus on maintaining water and electrolyte balance, supplemented by necessary symptomatic treatment. Mild and moderate water loss can be treated with oral glucose-electrolyte solution, while severe water loss requires intravenous rehydration, and oral rehydration can be used after the condition improves. Active treatment should be given to the elderly, young or weak. Those with severe poisoning symptoms and circulatory failure should pay attention to maintaining effective blood volume. Adrenal cortex hormones can be used when necessary. Abdominal pain and diarrhea can often be significantly improved after fasting. For severe patients, anti-secretory drugs such as berberine, chlorpromazine, propranolol, calcium gluconate, and indomethacin can be tried. Antispasmodics are best used for short periods of time.

⑵Treatment against pathogens

For patients with uncomplicated gastroenteritis, there is no need to use antibiotics. Because the use of antibiotics does not shorten the course of the patient's illness, but instead promotes the production of drug-resistant strains in the intestines, prolongs the time of bacterial excretion, and creates difficulties in treatment.

For severe gastroenteritis or the elderly, infants (especially infants under 4 months old), malnourished people, those with chronic diseases or immunodeficiency, appropriate antibacterial drugs should be added. For extra-gastrointestinal infections, septicemia, typhoid fever, and local suppurative infections, antibacterial drugs should be applied systemically.

In the past, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole, ampicillin or amoxicillin were generally used to treat Salmonella infections, and the fever usually subsided 4 to 6 days after taking the medicine. However, some patients may relapse, but the drug is still effective after re-administration. In recent years, the phenomenon of pathogen resistance has continued to increase, so it is best to refer to the drug sensitivity results to select appropriate antibiotics. At present, the third-generation fluoroquinolone antibiotics and third-generation cephalosporins, such as ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, lomefloxacin, and imipenem, are commonly used in clinical practice and often have good therapeutic effects.

Convalescent carriers do not require antibacterial treatment.

The above is the expert’s introduction to the prevention and treatment of Salmonella infection. I hope everyone can learn more about this disease in life. Once related symptoms appear, they should be taken seriously and examined and treated in time. Patients in the acute attack period should be isolated and pay attention to food hygiene.