Salmonella

Salmonella is a major cause of illness in package holiday hotels abroad. Holidaymakers can claim compensation when they return to the UK if they have contracted salmonella whilst staying in a hotel which was part of a package holiday, provided poor standards of food and hygiene were to blame for their illness.

If you have suffered salmonella food poisoning in a package holiday hotel abroad, contact Anne Thomson, our Head of Travel Law and Holiday Illness Claims.   Anne, who has over 25 years’ experience of successfully handling illness claims says: "Holidaymakers should never be subjected to salmonella food poisoning abroad and if your holiday has been ruined because of illness, contact me on: 080001 54321 or fill in the online claim form  for free information about making a claim."

Main causes of salmonella include:

• Eating raw or undercooked food which has been infected with salmonella bacteria. Common foods which cause salmonella food poisoning are: undercooked chicken, poultry and minced beef products, eggs and untreated milk.
• Salmonella is commonly passed from one person to another via the faecal-oral route and can easily occur if food handlers do not wash their hands after using the toilet or after touching contaminated surfaces.
• When food hygiene is poor in holiday package holiday hotels, salmonella can be quickly passed on which results in many compensation claims being made each year.

What is salmonellosis?

Salmonellosis is an infection which is caused by a bacterium called salmonella. Most people who contract salmonella become ill between 12 to 72 hours after contamination. The disease can spread from the intestines to the blood stream and to other body sites causing serious illness or death if not treated quickly, although this is extremely rare.

What are the symptoms of salmonella?

Common symptoms of salmonella include: vomiting, diarrhoea, sometimes with blood, fever, fatigue, headaches and flu-like symptoms.

How long is salmonella likely to last?

It depends on the severity of the illness, but most cases of food poisoning caused by salmonella last between 5-7 days.

How can salmonella food poisoning be prevented?

Salmonella food poisoning can be prevented if food hygiene standards in holiday hotels are high. Food handlers need to be educated about the importance of washing hands after using the toilet and between preparing different foods, the correct storage and handling of food and how to cook food to the correct temperature.

How is salmonella treated?

Salmonella usually passes naturally within 7 days and does not often require treatment unless the patient becomes severely dehydrated or the infection spreads from the intestines. People who suffer severe diarrhoea may require rehydration via intravenous drip in hospital and antibiotics may be used if the illness spreads to other parts of the body from the intestines.

Mrs P from Mirfield in West Yorkshire contracted salmonella in Mauritius and received £8,000 compensation.  Mrs P said “I have been extremely pleased with the simple and efficient process throughout the whole claim and really happy with the excellent service provided by Farnworth Rose.”