Diagnosis and Treatment

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

Most people recover without specific treatment. Antibiotics are typically used only to treat people with severe illness. Patients should drink extra fluids as long as diarrhea lasts. In some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that the person needs to be hospitalized.

In rare cases, infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream, and then to other parts of the body. In these people, Salmonella can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.