Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- nausea/vomiting
- diarrhea
- fever
Other diagnostic factors
- myalgias
- headache
- abdominal tenderness
- signs of volume depletion
- hyperactive bowel sounds
- family history of Salmonella infection
Risk factors
- food exposures
- extremes of age (<12 months and >50 years)
- presence of an immunosuppressive state
- low gastric acidity
- exposure to symptomatic person with Salmonella
- animal contact
- use of antibiotics
- poorly controlled diabetes mellitus
- chronic granulomatous disease
- iron overload
- malnutrition
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- stool studies
Investigations to consider
- blood cultures
- imaging studies
Treatment algorithm
gastroenteritis
chronic carrier state
Contributors
Authors
William A. Petri, Jr, MD, PhD, FACP

Wade Hampton Frost Professor of Epidemiology
Professor of Medicine, Microbiology, and Pathology
Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health
University of Virginia
Charlottesville
VA
Disclosures
WAP declares that he has no competing interests.
Acknowledgements
Dr William A Petri would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Michael Preziosi, Dr Joshua Fierer, and Dr Nancy F. Crum-Cianflone, previous contributors to this topic. JF and NFCC are authors of references cited in this topic. MP declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
David Acheson, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Director of Food Safety and Security
US Food and Drug Administration
Rockville
MD
Disclosures
DA declares that he has no competing interests.
Timothy Jones, MD
Deputy State Epidemiologist
Communicable and Environmental Disease Services
Tennessee Department of Health
Nashville
TN
Disclosures
TJ declares that he has no competing interests.
Franz Allerberger, MD, MPH
Head of Division
Division for Public Health
Austrian Agency for Health & Food Safety
Vienna
Austria
Disclosures
FA declares that he has no competing interests.
Differentials
- Shigellosis
- Campylobacter species infection
- Yersiniosis
More DifferentialsGuidelines
- 2017 Infectious Disease Society of America clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of infectious diarrhea
- 2017 Infectious Disease Society of America clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of infectious diarrhea
More GuidelinesPatient leaflets
Diarrhea in adults
Diarrhea in children
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