An eight-year-old girl from Taichung was treated for salmonella infection after eating food that had gone off, Evran Hospital pediatrician Chen Chen-nan (陳震南) said on Tuesday.
Her parents had allowed her to eat food from a broken refrigerator to avoid wasting food, Chen said, adding that she became sick after a few days and was sent to the hospital’s emergency room with a fever, vomiting and diarrhea.
Tests showed a high white blood cell count and inflammatory markers, indicating a disease of bacterial origin, while green urine suggested that she was infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, he said.
However, salmonella was positively identified in cultured samples, he said.
Four days of intravenously administered antibiotics and bed rest saw the child recover sufficiently to be sent home, Chen said.
Salmonella infection is usually caused by ingesting eggs, meat or diary products contaminated by fecal matter, leading to flu-like symptoms from which most people recover after four to seven days, he said.
However, salmonella is a serious health risk for people with immature or compromised immune systems, including children, elderly people, those undergoing chemotherapy or who have a severe medical condition, he said.
Proper sanitation and hygiene habits are effective in preventing salmonella, he said.
Although green stools are a symptom of salmonella, green urine — which could indicate a urinary tract infection — is not, he said, adding that people who have abnormal colored urine should seek medical advice immediately.
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