Salmonella And Common Food Poisoning Biology Essay

Salmonella And Common Food Poisoning Biology Essay Food poisoning is a common problem that affects millions of people in the United States and throughout the world. Food poisoning can cause distressing and sometimes life threatening problems in humans. People that have eaten contaminated food may be symptom-free or have symptoms ranging from intestinal discomfort to severe dehydration and bloody diarrhea. The following bacteria can cause food poisoning; Campylobacter, Shigella, E.Coli, and Salmonella. The Salmonella family contains over 2,300 serotypes of bacteria. A serotype is a group of microorganism, viruses, and cells classified together based on their cell surface antigens. Salmonella is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, flagellated and motile bacterium. Salmonella is found in the gastrointestinal tract of fish, turtles, snakes, lizards, gerbils, hamsters, other rodents and humans. Infection can also be spread from person-to -person. Salmonellosis is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans. Salmonellosis can be spread by eating uncooked pork, chicken, beef, and fish. Salmonellosis can also be spread by eating contaminated food with Salmonella. Symptoms are bloody or watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, throwing-up, fever, head-ache, chills, sweats, fatigue, and a lack of appetite. If the infection is severe the individual might be given antibiotics. The risks of Salmonellosis are the loss of body fluids, dehydration, shock, and death. Remedies for Salmonellosis depe nd on symptoms. Remedies are antibiotics, rest, eating a bland diet, and drinking plenty of fluids. There are three high risk groups: infants, people above the age of 60, and people with compromised immune systems. Salmonella bacteria can also cause Typhoid Fever. Typhoid Fever can be cause by two types of Salmonella bacteria: Salmonella typhi bacteria and Salmonella paratyphi. Typhoid Fever is contracted by the ingestion of the Salmonella bacteria in contaminated food or water. Patients with acute illness can contaminate the surrounding water supply though stool. The stool contains high concentration bacteria. Patients can be classified as Long-Term Carriers if they have a mild infection and it go unrecognized. The bacteria replicates in the gallbladder, bile ducts, or liver and passes into the bowel. The bacteria can survive for weeks in water or dried sewage. Symptoms of Typhoid Fever are high temperature, chest discomfort, abdomen discomfort, headaches, lethargy, poor appetite, ad diarrhea. Typhoid Fever is determined through a stool culture. Typhoid Fever is treated with Antibiotics. There are several scientists doing research on the Salmonella bacteria. There are a series of experiments that are being conducted abroad the International Spaceship that may lead to vaccine against Salmonellosis from Salmonella bacteria. Scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service have developed a poultry vaccine for some strains of Salmonella in poultry. The study of how Salmonella contaminates powder infant formula has helped them to create quality assurance procedures, to help prevent contamination of Powder Infant Formula. Scientists are trying to use Salmonella as remedy for hypoxia to help the in treatment of cancer. There are a group of scientists in Morocco that did a study on food samples from Morocco to determine if the food they were eating contained Salmonella. There are a series of experiments that are being conducted abroad the International Space that may lead to vaccine against Salmonellosis from Salmonella bacteria. Dr. Cheryl Nickerson has produced studies that have shown that Salmonella becomes more virulent in weightlessness environment. Salmonellas virulence can be controlled like an on and off switch. NASA started these studies because they were concerned about their astronauts being more susceptible to food poisoning due to their weakened immune systems. Weakened immune systems are due to microgravity. Researchers discovered that microgravity changes Salmonella. The scientists can use this information from space on Earth because the environment inside the intestines is similar to the weightlessness in space. Another Scientist, Professor Timothy Hammond, is pursuing a vaccine based on the genetic changes seen in the space-borne bacteria. There are a series of experiments that are being conducted abroad the International Space that may lead to vaccine against Salmonellosis from Salmonella bacteria. (Klotz, 2009) Scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service developed a poultry vaccine to reduce the spread Salmonella enteritidis (S.enteritis) infection among flocks. S.enteritis is a serotype of Salmonella .This current epidemic is caused by egg-borne Salmonellosis. Egg-Borne Salmonellosis is caused to intact and disinfected grade A eggs because S.enteritidis infects the ovaries silently. This contaminates the hens eggs. The vaccine reduces shedding ten to forty percent more effectively than the three commercial vaccines that are currently being used. The vaccine reduces the amount of S.enteritidis that is located in the birds digestive tract that helps eliminate the pathogen shedding in the birds feces. The vaccine also eliminates the pathogen invasion of the birds internal organs. The vaccine is an experimental oil emulsion vaccine. This vaccine is different from commercial preparations because it increases specific levels of antibodies in the digestive tract which reduces the Salmone lla in the hens intestinal tract and prevents infection of eggs and disease of transmission. In this research study, the vaccine was administered to the birds subcutaneously in two doses four to six weeks apart before exposing the birds to S.enteritidis. Researchers performed strict measures to ensure that there are no other pathogens were present in the hens before and during the investigation. In the 1970s, meticulous procedures for cleaning and inspecting eggs were implemented to reduce Salmonellosis. Salmonellosis is caused by the external fecal contamination of egg shells. S.enteritidis became a public health concern in the 1980s. The pathogen invades poultry which can cause harm to the reproductive organs that can lead to contamination of the eggs. In the 1990s, scientists started to develop poultry vaccines against S.enteritidis. Currently, twenty-five million doses of S.enteritidis vaccine are used annually. (Smith, 2006) Powdered Infant Formula (PIF) is not a sterile product and may be contaminated with pathogens that can cause serious illness in infants (children aged