Diagnosis and Treatment

Salmonella infection is diagnosed when a laboratory test detects Salmonella bacteria in a person’s stool (poop), body tissue, or fluids.

Antibiotic treatment is recommended for:

• People with severe illness.
• People with a weakened immune system, such as from HIV infection or chemotherapy treatment.
• Adults older than 50 who have medical problems, such as heart disease.
• Infants (children younger than 12 months).
• Adults age 65 or older.

Patients should drink extra fluids as long as diarrhea lasts. In some cases, the illness can be so severe that the person needs to be hospitalized. In rare cases, infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, or to other parts of the body. These patients should be treated promptly with antibiotics.