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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffSalmonella infection itself usually isn't life-threatening. However, in certain people — especially infants and young children, older adults, transplant recipients, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems — the development of complications can be dangerous.
Dehydration
If you can't drink enough liquids to replace the fluid you're losing from persistent diarrhea, you may become dehydrated. Warning signs include:
- Decreased urine output
- Dry mouth and tongue
- Sunken eyes
- Reduced production of tears
Bacteremia
If salmonella infection enters your bloodstream (bacteremia), it can infect tissues throughout your body, including:
- The tissues surrounding your brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
- The lining of your heart or valves (endocarditis)
- Your bones or bone marrow (osteomyelitis)
Reactive arthritis
People who have had salmonella are at higher risk of developing reactive arthritis. Also known as Reiter's syndrome, reactive arthritis typically causes:
- Eye irritation
- Painful urination
- Painful joints
- Hohmann EL. Approach to the patient with nontyphoidal Salmonella in a stool culture. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 25, 2011.
- Fact sheets: Salmonella questions and answers. Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/salmonella_questions_&_answers/index.asp. Accessed Feb. 2, 2011.
- Salmonellosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/salmonellosis/. Accessed Feb. 2, 2011.
- Pegues DA, et al. Salmonellosis. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Online. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2894780. Accessed Feb. 3, 2011.
- Meltzer E, et al. Enteric fever: A travel medicine oriented view. Current Opinion in Infectious Disease. 2010;23:432.
- Diarrhoea and vomiting caused by gastroenteritis: Diagnosis, assessment and management in children younger than 5 years. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=14445&search=dehydration. Accessed Feb. 2, 2011.
- Salmonella infections. The Merck Manuals: Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/sec14/ch173/ch173p.html. Accessed Feb. 8, 2011.
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