There’s A Roach In My Soup! – The Dangers Of Salmonella Food Poisoning

There have been certain cases wherein an individual found a dead cockroach in their food. Some even find this bug only after eating the entire bowl of soup. Complaining about it to the manager doesn’t always make a huge difference. If you have been in this kind of situation, your main concern is the health effects of eating cockroach-contaminated food.

You will be at a greater risk of getting sick if you combine large numbers of roaches with the unsanitary environments in food preparation and storage. If you eat food that was prepared under these conditions, you might suffer from life-threatening viruses and diseases, including Salmonella food poisoning. Most people quickly point their fingers to raw food sources as the cause of salmonella; however, cockroaches can also carry and transmit this disease.

What Is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can be transmitted on to humans through contaminated food, food preparation areas, and utensils that were used to cook and eat. The most common cause of this infection is due to contaminated food surfaces by raw chicken or turkey; however, a cockroach infestation can also cause this bacterial infection since these bugs travel over unsanitary surfaces.

Salmonella can travel from the intestine and into the blood and other organs. This food poisoning can lead to chronic infection in some people, who are free from symptoms but are carriers of this disease. This type of infection can be observed around the world, but it is mostly found in North America and Europe.

The main symptoms of this bacterial infection may include:

• Fever
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Abdominal Pain
• Diarrhea

These symptoms may occur within 12 to 73 hours after being contaminated with the infection. Most salmonella patients experience these symptoms, along with loss of appetite and liquid secretion. The patient’s stools are usually quite liquid, but they rarely have mucus or blood. Patients may experience diarrhea for about four days, and food poisoning usually lasts within a week.

Severe cases of salmonella food poisoning are quite rare; however, these complications might still occur, especially if the patient has other medical ailments. Additionally, salmonella can lead to serious health risks if the bacteria make their way into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria will invade the organ system, leading to diseases and organ failure. Other complications that may develop due to this infection may include:

• Osteomyelitis or bone infection
• Arthritis
• Pericarditis- the infection of the sac where the heart is located
• Meningitis- an infection of the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord
• Pneumonia or lung infection
• Hepatitis or infection of the liver

How To Avoid Salmonella

The best way to avoid salmonella food poisoning is to avoid eating raw or undercooked meat, especially poultry products. Another tip is to ensure the sanitation and safety of your home. Make sure that your home is free from a pest infestation, including rodent and cockroach infestation. These annoying critters can carry and transmit this bacterial infection through your food surfaces and food sources. Additionally, if you eat at a public joint, you must make sure that the establishment is sanitary and clean. You don’t want to eat cockroach-contaminated food and find out about it too late.

If you believe that your house is infested with roaches, immediately take action through natural home remedies. If the infestation is already at an advanced stage, call for a professional exterminator to successfully get rid of these bugs. Professional pest exterminators also offer their services to commercial establishments.