Question

Hi, I am taking up Human Biology. I need to know how Salmonella infecting and food poisoning affects 11 major body systems. I have looked online and can't find much. The systems are Cardiovasc, Lymphatic (Immunity), Digestive, Respiratory, Urinary, Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Integumentary, Endocrine, and Reproductive systems. My teacher said that this disease does affect all of these systems in some way.

Thank you!

Answer 1

Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract. Salmonella bacteria typically live in animal and human intestines and are shed through feces. Humans become infected most frequently through contaminated water or food.

Salmonella is a common bacterium that causes infection in humans, usually through exposure to inadequately processed foods like chicken or eggs, contaminated water, and contact with animals like reptiles and amphibians. The people affected most are usually very young or have underlying immune deficiencies. The bacterium incubates for one to three days before causing symptoms.

Gastrointestinal system:

The most common system affected by salmonella infection (Salmonella Gastroenteritis)is the gastrointestinal tract. Patients usually exhibit bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. The diarrhea can be profuse and lead to dehydration. Severe cases can lead to anemia, although this is rare. The fever tends to be hard to control and difficult to lower with medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Abdominal cramps can be quite painful and may mimic surgical conditions like appendicitis. Treatment with antibiotics is not recommended for salmonella gastroenteritis, because it does not shorten the duration of the symptoms and can prologue the period of contagiousness.

Cardiovascular system:

Salmonella has the ability to adhere to damaged endothelium, predisposing individuals to complications rarely seen with other Gram-negative organisms. Potential complications include endocarditis, infected atheroma or aneurysms, myocarditis and pericarditis.Cardiovascular complications of salmonellosis are rare and thought to occur in less than 5% of bacteremias. Most cases of cardiovascular complications occur due to infection with non-typhoidal species, such as Salmonella enteritidis, as a result of their propensity to cause bacteremia.

Blood

Bacteremia means that the bacterium has spread into the bloodstream. Once this happens, Salmonella Bact can affect several organ systems in the body. This is what is known as typhoid or enteric fever. The symptoms of bacteremia are gradual, and often include fever, headache, decrease appetite and change in mental status, like lethargy or decreased consciousness. Patients with typhoid fever can have severe abdominal pain, with liver and spleen enlargement. The fever usually worsens and becomes more persistent.

Immune system

When people ingest Salmonella, it invades the surface of the intestine. Our immune system responds by producing oxygen radicals to kill the bacteria. Although some Salmonella bacteria are killed by this response, many more benefit: the oxygen radicals create a sulfur compound called tetrathionate, which Salmonella are able to use instead of oxygen for respiration. Stimulating the host to produce tetrathionate enables Salmonella to ‘breathe’ in the intestine.By stimulating an inflammatory response in the intestine, Salmonella also enhances its transmission to other hosts. The inflammatory response causes the severe diarrhea and vomiting that is the body’s attempt to rid itself of the pathogenic bacteria, at the same time enabling Salmonella’s spread. The following medical problems or medications appear to increase risk of contracting salmonella by impairing immune system : AIDS, Sickle cell disease, Malaria, Anti-rejection drugs taken after organ transplants, Corticosteroids.

Respiratory system

Salmonella species are not a typical respiratory pathogen in immunocompetent hosts; however,There are possibility that salmonella species may be a pathogenic source of infection in the lungs and leads to pneumonia.

Affecting Skeletal,skin, Reproductive, Urinary, Muscular system

Salmonella has been the most frequently studied bacterium associated with reactive arthritis. people develop the symptoms following an intestinal infection with salmonella. Reiter's syndrome, is a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints, eyes, urethra, and skin. Reiter's syndrome is the classic triad of conjunctivitis, urethritis, and arthritis occurring after an infection, particularly those in the urogenital or gastrointestinal tract.

The first symptoms of reactive arthritis are painful urination and a discharge from the male reproductive organ, if there is inflammation of the urethra. Diarrhea may occur if the intestines are affected. This is then followed by arthritis four to 28 days later that usually affects the fingers, toes, ankles, hips, and knee joints. Typically, only one or a few of these joints may be affected at one time.

Other symptoms include: Mouth ulcers, Inflammation of the eye, Keratoderma blennorrhagica (patches of scaly skin on the palms, soles, trunk, or scalp), Back pain from sacroiliac (SI) joint involvement, Pain from inflammation of the ligaments and tendons at the sites of their insertion into the bone (enthesitis)

Some people develop complications that may include inflammation of the heart muscle, inflammation with stiffening of the spine, glaucoma, progressive blindness, feet abnormalities, or accumulation of fluid in the lungs.

Nervous system

Salmonella meningitis is a serious disease of the central nervous system. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is able to adhere, invade, and penetrate human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs), the single-cell layer constituting the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Salmonella invasion and immune activation is a crucial step in the penetration of the BBB and development of Salmonella meningitis.
Complications of Salmonella central nervous system (CNS) infection include bacterial colonization, brain abscesses, edema, cerebral infarction, pus collection in cerebral cavities, and brain inflammation.