Sunday, January 4, 2009

SALMONELLA SOCK DOWN!!!


Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped Gramnegative enterobacteria that causes typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, and foodborne illness. It was named after Daniel Elmer Salmon, an American veterinary pathologist. He was the administrator of the USDA reasearch program at the time and thus the organism was so named! 

Salmonellae are bacteria that may cause food poisoning; the illness itself is often referred to as Salmonella or Salmonella infection. Salmonellae cause a moderate illness with nausea, vomiting, crampy diarrhea, and headache, which may come back a few weeks later as arthritis(joint pains). In people with impaired immune systems (such as people withkidney disease or HIV/AIDS or those receiving chemotherapy for cancer), Salmonellae can cause a life-threatening illness. The illness is transmitted by undercooked foods such as eggs, poultry, dairy products, and seafood.

On any typical News Years eve a large amount of people are riding the porcelain pony or hugging the porcelain god due to the copious amount of alcohol being rejected by the body. On this eve I was poised in this exact position, not due to alcohol poisoning but from the above mentioned bacteria! 

Dateline... Bothell Wa..... Jan 1st 2009 12:08 am. I was awoken(yes I was asleep on the couch) by a painful twisting and turning of my stomach that I recognized from past experience. Why me? Why now? The bacteria plays no favorites and takes no prisoners! I will spare you the gory details, but after a days rest and very little food I recovered and am looking forward to this new year. 

We wish everyone a safe, fulfilling, and adventurous 2009!!

PS- Please remember to take safe measures in food handling, cooking, and storage. Bacteria cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted.

2 comments:

Stef Layton said...

so sorry to read that! Thad got it once in Key West, I had to take him to the ER he was so bad off! Praying to feel back to normal!

My name is Erin. said...

Oh, it is THE WORST! Ugh! I'm so sorry.

Happy New Year!!!