Salmonella bacteria and reptiles.. Reptile educational handout

This handout was developed by the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is intended for informational purposes only;


Salmonella Bacteria and Reptiles:

...An Educational handout sheet, f.y.i.

Most, if not all, reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria in their intestinal tract and intermittently or continuously shed these bacteria in their feces. Salmonella bacteria usually do not cause any illness in reptiles, but can cause serious illness in people.

Salmonella bacteria are easily spread from reptiles to humans.
Humans may become infected when they place their hands on objects, including food items, that have been in contact with the stool of reptiles, in their mouths. For example, infants have become infected after drinking from bottles of infant formula that became contaminated during preparation. Individuals who had prepared the formula had not washed their hands after touching a reptile or because reptiles were allowed to walk on kitchen counters.

For Salmonella bacteria to spread from reptiles to humans, the bacteria must be ingested. Therefore, simply touching or holding a reptiles will not result in spread of bacteria unless something contaminated with reptiles feces or the reptile itself is placed in the mouth.

Most Salmonella infections in humans result in a mild, self-limiting illness characterized by diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. However, the infection can spread to the bloodstream, bone marrow or nervous system, leading to severe, and sometimes fatal, illness.
Such severe infections are more likely to occurs in infants and in individuals whose immune system is compromised (for instance, bone marrow transplant recipients, persons with diabetes mellitus, persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, and chemotherapy patients).

Unfortunately, Salmonella bacteria cannot be eliminated from the intestinal tract of reptiles. Administration of antibiotics to eliminate these bacteria has been unsuccessful and may result in emergence of Salmonella bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Attempt to raise or identify reptiles that do not carry Salmonella bacteria have also been unsuccessful; therefore, bacterial culture of stool samples in an attempt to identify reptiles that are not carrying Salmonella bacteria is not recommended.

Fortunately the spread of Salmonella bacteria from reptiles to humans can be easily prevented by using the following routine precautions:

* Always wash your hands with hot, soapy water after handling reptiles, reptile cages and equipment, and the stool of reptiles.

* Do not allow reptiles to have access to the kitchen, dining room, or any other area in which food is prepared. Also, do not allow reptiles to have access to bathroom sinks and tubs or to any area where infants are bathed. Consider keeping your reptiles caged or limiting the parts of the house where reptiles are allowed to roam free. Always wash your hands after coming into contact with any area where reptiles are allowed to roam free.

* Do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling reptiles, reptiles cages, or reptile equipment. Do not kiss reptiles or share food or drink with them.

* Do not use the kitchen sink, kitchen counters, bathroom sinks or bathtubs to bathe reptiles or to wash reptile cages, dishes or aquariums. Reptile owners may wish to purchase a plastic basin or tub in which to bathe or swim their reptiles. Waste water and fecal material should be disposed of in the toilet instead of the bathtub or household sink.

* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children less than five years of age avoid contact with reptiles and that households with children less than one year of age not own reptiles.
The Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians encourages reptile owners with young children to discuss steps to minimize risks associated with owning reptiles with their reptiles' veterinarian and their physician.

Children should be supervised when they are handling reptiles to ensure that they do not place their hands or objects that a reptile has contacted in their mouths. Reptiles should not be kept in child care centers.

* Immunocompromised persons should avoid contact with reptiles.

* Follow instructions from your reptile's veterinarian concerning proper diet and environment for your reptile. Healthy reptiles living in proper environments are less likely to shed Salmonella bacteria.

Information in this handout is not meant to discourage reptile ownership.

With a few exceptions (for example, infants or immunocompromised individuals), most people have a low risk of acquiring salmonellosis from reptiles, but this risk can be reduced even further by following simple precautions.

Reptiles can be safely kept as pets, but reptile owners should be aware of the methods for reducing their risk of acquiring Salmonella bacteria from their reptiles.
http://www.arav.org/SalmonellaOwner.htm

but I did have to laugh about the part of 'not sharing food with your reptile'. I can see me now, taking a bite out of the f/t mouse before giving it to the snake!! LOL

yeah, but I'm pretty sure they meant monitors or plant eating herps (I know the word, but i can't spell....herbivours?). Monitors sometimes eat cooked meats (some people think they tame more readily this way) and herbivours which of course can share some of their carrots with you.

thanks for the info... but on a related topic... in the recent issue of reptilian magazine in the uk there's a very interesting article about a group in the UK called animal aid, that are a bunch of activists going round to some of the few reptile shows that the uk has... dressed in biohazard suits and face masks, handing out leaflets about how all the animals carry and spread salmonella and that they are a danger to humans... from what the report said, this group are not animal welfare.. but more an activist group... aiming to get the keeping and sale of herps banned. Alot of their research is not based on fact... in my opinion it's a bunch of people with no understanding or experience in the subject..for those of you in the uk, if you come across this bunch of (insert relevant words here, i like "jobless w**kers").... ignore them....

By providing correct and accurate, intelligently expressed information...(based on fact)... regarding reptile care, in a responsible AND mature manner to the general public at large, will do much to win the the hearts and minds of the non zealots of the world (most people).

People should be made aware at these shows, that they are being/ have been lied too by these "activists" / kooks..

It seems they may be needing some "guy in a lizard suit"/ booth to hand out true and correct information flyers to counter such theatrics/ show biz.
Blow 'em out the water with facts.
Wheres that local news camera?... it's all about creating a news event, thats what these fellers are up too, obviously. It seems to be getting them attention, we're talking about them.
It would be handy to have an articulate spokeperson available at such events, capable of countering point for point any "assumptive facts" "they" may be spewing/ spreading thick for local press/ TV consumption.

The promoter would be smart to reserve the right to eject anybody at his sole discretion, no reason required.... Like the old song says, " It's my party and I'll cry if I want to..."

Owning a cat or dog is statistically is much more dangerous as far as acquiring an animal to human disease transmission known as a "zoonoses" or actually being physically injured by it, (scratches, bites..).
The banning of dogs and cats "for our own protection", would be the next step in this flawed "logic".

You gotta know they will put a "spin on it" to perpuate their "agenda". Outright lies seem to work, the end justifies the means, so its allowed, in their eyes.
It is morally justified to B.S. people...
Saving us, for we know not what we do... mighty thoughtful of them.

The popularization of such things as "Consumer education" and emerging, relatively new, "naturalistic" husbandry practices such as "Grapefruit seed extract" as an internal anti-salmonella agent/ overall health tonic and as reptile specific pro-biotic supplementation "therapies" gain in popularity (healthier reptiles), the incidences of (captive bred and kept) reptile related disease transmissions would/ should be dramatically reduced.


This whole saving the world can be pretty tough work, ask Buffy, the vampire killer.
"She saved the world alot".

imho.