Salmonella are generally motile, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria. Although they are found naturally in the intestines of some animals, including farm animals, birds, reptiles, pets and humans, they may also cause disease. Salmonella bacteria can also be found in the eggs of some Salmonella-infected chickens. Their occurrence in foods and in the environment through contamination with feces is a cause of salmonellosis in humans and animals that ingest the bacteria. Salmonellosis in humans usually takes the form of gastroenteritis or food poisoning.
