Reptiles and Salmonella

[Miffy]

Ive just used common sense with reps and all other animals, I wash my hands thoroughy if I get piss or poop on my hands, I sanitize, but half the time I forget to wash after Ive been handling them Ive never had a sickness in over 7 years from them, I kiss and cuddle them and my lizards crawl all over my face etc never had a problem, but I am careful how and what I feed my lizards.

You just said you use common sense with all your reps and animals, then go on to say half the time you forget to wash your hands after handling them. :S

The I have never been sick after 7 years of kissing, cuddling and handling them with out washing hands, is a bit like the 90 year old smoker who says smoking isn't a health risk. I wouldn't be pushing your luck with something so simple as basic hand washing.

 

[syeph8]

If you touch your bum and then touch your mouth you could get salmonella poisoning. Its everywhere. Just wash your hands.

not unless you are infected with salmonella bacteria. it doesnt exist naturally in humans. you can still get a very wide variety of bacteria from faecal matter that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness. but why woul would want to follow the above prompts i dont know. the biggest culprit of GI illness from faecal bacteria is a particular form of e.coli found in cow poo. but human e.coli has also been known to cause problems.

 

[xxMelissaxx]

Any type of pet can potentially give you Salmonella poisoning.I remember reading somewhere that pet reptiles accounted for around 5% of cases.As with any pet it's good practice to wash your hands after coming into contact with them.

If reptiles account for 5% of cases, looking at the proportion of reptiles kept in comparison to all other pets, I would say there may be a significantly higher risk?

Haven't seen any figures on this though, so only making an assumption. I may have to go off and do some googling I think..

 

[Ramsayi]

If reptiles account for 5% of cases, looking at the proportion of reptiles kept in comparison to all other pets, I would say there may be a significantly higher risk?

Haven't seen any figures on this though, so only making an assumption. I may have to go off and do some googling I think..

Knock yourself out............. Pet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[xxMelissaxx]

Knock yourself out............. Pet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks for those figures.

It's quite difficult to determine the percentage of cases that are related to reptiles though, so can't really draw any conclusions. I've had a quick look at a few online journal articles, and have found that they differ quite a lot.

Basically, there is definitely a risk of Salmonella infection when being exposed to reptiles. Anywhere from 30% - 90% of reptiles (data varies widely, but generally sits at the higher end) carry Salmonella, and the percentage of cases of infection in humans that can be linked to reptiles is unknown. Many people may not identify the connection, so no accurate assumptions can be drawn. Also, not all cases of Salmonella are actually recorded.

Symptoms of infection in humans also vary widely, and can range from a mild fever, diarrhea, and cramps, to severe illness or death (rarely, and more common in young children or people with a weakened immune system).

Young children are especially at risk of serious complications after being infected, such as meningitis.

After handling a reptile, touching anything can transfer the bacteria onto that surface. Apparently, the bacteria can survive in these conditions for weeks, and therefore pose a risk (however slight).

I was also just reading somewhere that in the US in the 70's, there was an outbreak of Salmonella cases (approx. 300k cases I think?) related directly to terrapins. The FDA introduced a ban of some sort (can't remember exactly, think it may have been an import/export ban?) and there was a significant reduction in the cases of infection (obviously). This demonstrates that there is indeed a risk.

While the risk of infection may be relatively low, there is definitely a very real risk involved. Simple hygiene is not difficult, and is good practice when keeping any pets. Extra caution should definitely be taken if you have contact with children, or anyone with a weakened immune system. I just don't think it is a risk worth taking when it comes to your own health, and even more so, someone else's.

 

[xxMelissaxx]

...I kiss and cuddle them and my lizards crawl all over my face etc never had a problem, but I am careful how and what I feed my lizards.

How is it common sense to let them crawl over your face, "kiss and cuddle" them, neglect to wash your hands, but then be careful of what and how you feed them? I haven't read anything to suggest that the diet of reptiles has an impact on whether they carry Salmonella or not?

 

[Snowman]

common sense isn't that common Mel

 

[-Peter]

Sure there is a duty of care and common sense required with keeping any animal. I always get the kids to wash their hands after touching the reptiles.
The excessive scrutiny of reptiles and salmonella infection comes from the anti reptile keeping fraternity in the US who have borrowed it from the anti freshwater turtle harvesting for pet trade lobby there.

 

[xxMelissaxx]

common sense isn't that common Mel

Ha ha! I tend to forget this, even though there is an abundance of reminders

 

[xxMelissaxx]

Sure there is a duty of care and common sense required with keeping any animal. I always get the kids to wash their hands after touching the reptiles.
The excessive scrutiny of reptiles and salmonella infection comes from the anti reptile keeping fraternity in the US who have borrowed it from the anti freshwater turtle harvesting for pet trade lobby there.

You seem to have looked into this a fair bit more than I have, yet, I have seen a couple of seemingly-credible and unbiased Australian articles on the subject.

With the lack of conclusive data, and the evidence that there is indeed a risk, more investigation is warranted. This will not necessarily highlight a high risk, in fact, more research may conclude that the transmission of the bacteria is less common than we think. Only time will tell I guess.

 

[Snakelove]

So basically, just wash your hands afterwards. haha I got it! What about those dettol disinfectant stuff? are those dangerous to reps?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

The sale of turtles under 4 inches (100mm) was banned in some states of the US years ago because they considered it more risky if kids could put the baby turtles in their mouths, which they do (apparently!) in the US.

I believe Salmonella infection is likely to be a more serious problem for kids that healthy adults, but it depends on the species and strain of bug. It's not something that warrants panic, just a good approach to hygiene. It's not the snake's mouth that's the problem, it's the other end, because Salmonella lives in the gut, and is detected by cloacal swab. You are very unlikely indeed to get a Sal infection from a bite.

Jamie.

 

[Snakelove]

The sale of turtles under 4 inches (100mm) was banned in some states of the US years ago because they considered it more risky if kids could put the baby turtles in their mouths, which they do (apparently!) in the US.

I believe Salmonella infection is likely to be a more serious problem for kids that healthy adults, but it depends on the species and strain of bug. It's not something that warrants panic, just a good approach to hygiene. It's not the snake's mouth that's the problem, it's the other end, because Salmonella lives in the gut, and is detected by cloacal swab. You are very unlikely indeed to get a Sal infection from a bite.

Jamie.

Ahhh! so the info the vet gave me was a little off after all! Yeah I knew I didn't have to worry about them biting me coz if it was serious then I'd be sick right about now after about 3-4 bites last night!

 

[GeckoJosh]

The sale of turtles under 4 inches (100mm) was banned in some states of the US years ago because they considered it more risky if kids could put the baby turtles in their mouths, which they do (apparently!) in the US.

I believe Salmonella infection is likely to be a more serious problem for kids that healthy adults, but it depends on the species and strain of bug. It's not something that warrants panic, just a good approach to hygiene. It's not the snake's mouth that's the problem, it's the other end, because Salmonella lives in the gut, and is detected by cloacal swab. You are very unlikely indeed to get a Sal infection from a bite.

Jamie.

Surely the mouth would could harbour bacteria, particularly from prey dropping faeces as its being swallowed?

 

[LadyJ]

I thought it would be common sense and any resonable person's definition of 'good hygine' to wash your hands correctly after handling ANY animal?
I take normal measures (I'm not anal...) and I'm fine.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

The prey animal would have to be carrying Salmonella to begin with, which of course isn't impossible, but the mouth doesn't support the growth of Salmonella, so you would have to be bitten almost immediately after such a meal. I'm pretty sure that Salmonella needs to be passed into the gut via the digestive tract (i.e. via the mouth) to be infective, it is not something you would normally pick up from a wound such as a bite.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong...

Jamie

 

[xxMelissaxx]

The prey animal would have to be carrying Salmonella to begin with, which of course isn't impossible, but the mouth doesn't support the growth of Salmonella, so you would have to be bitten almost immediately after such a meal. I'm pretty sure that Salmonella needs to be passed into the gut via the digestive tract (i.e. via the mouth) to be infective, it is not something you would normally pick up from a wound such as a bite.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong...

Jamie

This was my understanding of it also.

 

[-Peter]

Yes I probably have, I presented a discussion paper some years ago on turtle rescue and rehabilitation that included zoonosis issues. Animals that are confined and forced to live in their own faeces are going to have health issues and create them for their owners and carers. There are 3 things you can do to make sure that the problem is limited.
These are clean, clean and clean.

 

[xxMelissaxx]

Yes I probably have, I presented a discussion paper some years ago on turtle rescue and rehabilitation that included zoonosis issues. Animals that are confined and forced to live in their own faeces are going to have health issues and create them for their owners and carers. There are 3 things you can do to make sure that the problem is limited.
These are clean, clean and clean.

I agree with what you're saying, but that does not mean that further investigation is not warranted, especially considering we have no conclusive data at present.

 

[Ramsayi]

I agree with what you're saying, but that does not mean that further investigation is not warranted, especially considering we have no conclusive data at present.

I'm not sure where you are headed with this.Bottom line is don't lick your pets,reptilian or otherwise and wash your hands after contact with any pet.