Rare Salmonella Strain Linked to Pet Bearded Dragons Causes Outbreak
The CDC has identified a rare strain of salmonella bacteria linked to pet bearded dragons, exposing the risks associated with owning reptiles. In total, two infants in Canada and 12 other individuals in the United States were affected during the 2021 and 2022 salmonella outbreaks. Despite no reported deaths, eight of the patients under 1 year old required hospitalization.
Studies indicate that 73% of the U.S. patients had direct contact with bearded dragons or had one as a pet in their household. The sources of salmonella were not traced back to a single breeder or a specific geographic location. Furthermore, these incidents outlined the potential risks of reptiles as pets, as well as exposure to salmonella from the lizards, which can occur even if the animal doesn’t show symptoms.
In addition, the CDC noted a separate bearded dragon-linked salmonella outbreak in 2022 and another in 2023 across more than 20 U.S. states, involving 29 hospitalizations. Illegal sales of small turtles were also linked to a 2023 outbreak with 32 salmonella hospitalizations.
The biology professor, Brian Todd, emphasized that while the risk of getting salmonella from a pet reptile is low, it is essential to take precautions. Proper hygiene, such as washing hands after handling reptiles, is vital to prevent exposure. He compared this to the approach of handling a loaded gun, where the assumption of risk plays a critical role in staying safe.
Aside from reptiles, cats can also transmit diseases to humans. For instance, cats may indirectly pass toxoplasmosis to as many as a million people per year in the United States. Other diseases such as cat scratch disease (CSD) and rabies are also linked to cats and dogs, respectively. Todd cautioned that the ownership of any animal presents a potential risk of bacteria or virus transmission to humans.
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