Causes

Salmonella infection is one of the most common types of food poisoning. It occurs when you swallow food or water that contains the salmonella bacteria.
The salmonella germs may get into the food you eat (called contamination) in several ways.
You are more likely to get this type of infection if you have:

• Eaten foods such as turkey, turkey dressing, chicken, or eggs that have not been cooked well or stored properly
• Family members with recent salmonella infection
• Been or worked in a hospital, nursing home, or other long-term health facility
• A pet iguana or other lizards, turtles, or snakes (reptiles are carriers of salmonella)
• A weakened immune system
• Regularly used medicines that block acid production in the stomach
• Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
• Used antibiotics in the recent past

Most people with this condition are younger than 20.