Salmonella is a
rod-shaped,
motile bacterium
which is a cause of
food poisoning.
The bacteria is commonly found in
poultry and
swine. Other sources include
insects,
factory
and
kitchen surfaces,
animal feces,
raw meats
and
raw seafood.
Within 6-48 hours of contact with the salmonella bacterium,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea,
fever, and headache may appear.
Artritic symptoms
may follow 3-4 weeks after the initial onset.
You should keep your cooking area clean, wash hands
and utensils with hot, soapy water frequently, and
cook food thoroughly. (I've never gotten sick eating
sashimi. I wonder how they make sure to
avoid salmonella.)
Source: The Bad Bug Book, by US FDA: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/intro.html.