Who invented salmonella

About 80 percent of foodborne illnesses are caused by unknown agents but of the known pathogens causing food poisoning, the bacterial agent Salmonella caused the highest number of hospitalizations and deaths among all such pathogens. Annually, there are are about 1 million cases of Salmonella affecting Americans , including about 19, hospitalizations and deaths every year. The first strain of Salmonella was isolated and discovered in by American veterinary scientist Dr.

Daniel E. Salmon , who mistook the bacteria as a potential cause of hog cholera. In , a major outbreak of food poisoning occurred in Frankenhausen, Germany , caused by an organism from the same genus of bacteria. The Bacillus genus, which included these serotypes was renamed to Salmonella in honor of Dr. The inductee class for the National Inventors Hall of Fame includes two microbiologists whose contributions to the field of food safety have helped to keep many foodborne pathogens, especially Salmonella , in check: John H.

Silliker and Welton I. These two scientists worked together to develop more effective monitoring techniques for food products in response to the growing concerns in the midth century regarding Salmonella outbreaks, especially those which hit children the hardest. Both Taylor and Silliker are listed as inventors on U. Patent No. It claimed a method of controlling bacterial growth in a food material which comprises adding to the food material containing an objectionable bacterium in a bacteriophage having predetermined properties of destroying said bacterium and maintaining said phage in contact with said bacterium under suitable conditions whereby said bacterium are substantially reduced.

This process, which could be adapted to destroy bacterium in ham, sausage and eggs, involved the introduction of a bacterium into such food material which inhibits the growth of bacteria such as Salmonella as the food dries or cures.

Along with this patent, Silliker and Taylor co-authored a series of five papers on salmonellosis and the role of Salmonella in food safety. Increased efforts at the U. His work in foodborne illnesses attracted the attention of the World Health Organization and in , Taylor spent one year split between facilities in London and Paris bringing his knowledge of microbiology and food safety to British and French scientists. Resistance to essential antibiotics is increasing in Salmonella , which can limit treatment options for people with severe infections.

One way to slow down the development of antibiotic resistance is by appropriate use of antibiotics. Appropriate use of antibiotics in people and animals use only when needed and exactly as prescribed can help prevent antibiotic resistance and the spread of resistant bacteria.

CDC estimates Salmonella cause about 1. Sign up for RSS Feed. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Questions and Answers. Minus Related Pages. What are Salmonella? What illness do people get from Salmonella infection?

What are the symptoms of infection? Most people with Salmonella infection have diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Salmonella are a diverse group of bacteria. How is Salmonella infection diagnosed? How is infection treated?

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.

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