Pet dragons linked to rare Salmonella strain in US and Canada

“I have college students who come to class with their bearded dragons on their shoulders, which is probably not the most sanitary thing,” says Brian Todd, a conservationist at the University of California, Davis, who specializes in reptiles and amphibians. not involved in the study. “After touching one, you should wash your hands, especially before preparing food or picking up your child.”

Bearded dragons are not the only source of reptile-borne outbreaks. Last year, more than 20 people in 11 states became ill from salmonella linked to small turtles. That outbreak led to the hospitalization of nine people and prompted a warning from the CDC not to allow children under the age of five to have turtles as pets.

(The sale of turtles smaller than four inches has been banned since 1975.)

The research was published this week in the journal Emerging infectious diseases used whole-genome genetic sequencing to determine the origin of Salmonella infections that sickened two infants in Ontario, Canada. Researchers determined that the illnesses were caused by salmonella vitkin, a rare strain that had not been detected in Canada or the United States before 2021.

Dr. Katherine Paphitis, an epidemiologist with Public Health Ontario and lead author of the study, said the discovery prompted health officials in both countries to join forces to determine its origins.

Dr. Paphitis said there are 2,500 serotypes of salmonella, but only about 100 sick people, and just a handful, are responsible for the majority of human infections. Older people, infants and people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to serious illness, she said.

By sequencing the bacteria, Public Health Ontario researchers were able to link the two sick babies. They discovered that every family had bearded dragons. With genetic fingerprints in hand, Canadian officials contacted their CDC counterparts, who subsequently identified a dozen cases of Salmonella Vitkin in the United States. Health officials in both countries warned pet stores and pet owners about the risks. “Do not kiss or hug your bearded dragon,” the CDC said, “or eat or drink around it.”

The response to the outbreak showed cooperation between health authorities, said Dr. Paphitis, and also helped spread vital information about bearded dragons that seemed to escape many owners.

“If you let them roam free,” she said, “maybe don't leave them on the counter in your kitchen.”