Will accidentally licking a small piece of raw chicken make me fatally ill?

Question

please answer

Answer 1

You're probably worried about Salmonella. Salmonella is most dangerous to babies, the immunocompromised and the very elderly.

Are you any of those? If so, you can be concerned.

If not, well, no problem. You might get sick with the infection, and you might experience extremely unpleasant fever, cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. BUT YOU WON'T DIE!

If you are in a vulnerable group and you do get sick, see a doctor. Give a stool sample and treat yourself with fluids and electrolytes.

Answer 2

No, not unless the chicken was contaminated with bacteria. Undercooked/raw chicken can cause abdo pain, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting if it is infected with salmonella or campylobacter. It can also be infected with toxins produced by other types of bacteria.

Infections with campylobacter or salmonella are not usually treated as they are self limiting infections. Antibiotics are usually only prescribed to children/the elderly and people with compromised immune system. As they can cause serious complications such as bacteremia.


You should technically be fine unless you fall into any of the above categories. If you don't I'd suggest not licking raw chicken again or any other raw meat.

If you develop any of the above symptoms visit your Doctor and they can send a stool sample to a microbiology lab for testing.

Answer 3

You could certainly get food poisoning from such a thing but I seriously doubt it would be fatal. In the future be more careful.