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Salmonella Poisoning: A 5-year-old boy died after allegedly eating a cucumber for dinner, according to his family in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam. News reports say two other children of the family are admitted to the ICU and battling for their lives.
Doctors say they suffered from severe food poisoning and are undergoing treatment. According to preliminary reports – four members, including three children, ate Balam cucumbers – also known as African kheera at night and shortly complained about vomiting and nausea. They then also had severe stomachaches and were given medicines, which further deteriorated their condition.
The family members then rushed them to a nearby hospital, but the boy succumbed while they were on their way.
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Doctors say it could be due to salmonella poisoning – an infection, which leads to loss of water and electrolytes from the body. Experts say even though it usually goes away on its own in a few days, the infection can be highly dangerous, and even life-threatening in a few people, depending on their immunity levels.
What is salmonella poisoning?
Salmonella poisoning causes serious diarrhoea and stomach pains due to
Salmonella
bacteria. Also known as gastroenteritis, it is the most common form of bacterial food poisoning in India.
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According to experts, when you get salmonella, it means enough bacteria have gotten past your stomach acid and immune system to make you sick. It invades and destroys the cells that line your intestines making it hard for your body to absorb water, which can give you stomach cramps. The water leaves your body in the form of diarrhoea and vomiting.
Last year, in India, at least 11,269 cases of Salmonella poisoning were reported, with a positive rate of 3.65 per cent.
Signs and symptoms of salmonella poisoning
Apart from the diarrhoea and vomiting, a few other signs of a
salmonella
bacteria attack in your body, include:
- Blood in your stool
- High fever
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea
- Severe headache
- Loss of appetite
Who is at a higher risk of getting salmonella poisoning?
Doctors say anyone can get
salmonella
, but you might be at higher risk for infection or serious illness depending on your age, your living conditions, and certain illnesses and medications. You are at an increased risk of getting the deadly infection, if you:
- Live or work around high-risk animals like chickens and ducks
- Frequently take antacids or antibiotics, which lower your defenses against salmonella
- Live with inflammatory bowel disease which damages your digestive system
- Are under the age of 5, since your immune system is weak
- Have sickle cell disease
