Salmonellosis: Reptile Owners Beware!
By Barbara Lombardi
Recently my brother decided to buy his son, my nephew, a pet snake. They named him Zeus. I am continuously worried about my nephew contracting salmonella, so I am writing this article specifically with him in mind.
Here are a few warnings for reptile owners and some precautions you should take when handling a snake.
First, a few facts: studies have shown that 85% of turtles, 77% of lizards and 92% of snakes carry one of the 500 serotypes of Salmonella. With this high of an incidence one would wonder why every reptile owner in the world hasn't contracted Salmonella. The reality is that while most reptiles harbor some Salmonella organisms there are several reasons why most people never contract the disease and the risk to most reptile owners is greatly over exaggerated.
Children, elderly or immunosuppressed people can suffer severely from this disease and in some cases even die. So the risk of Salmonella infection should not be taken lightly and proper precautions should always be exercised.
If you have turtles, snakes, or lizards you should just assume they have Salmonella unless repeated cultures show otherwise. Now just because we make this assumption for safety reasons, does not mean that we are going to contract the disease. Most healthy humans come in contact with Salmonella and a whole host of bad organisms on a daily basis but because they have a healthy immune system and they come into contact with relatively small numbers of organisms they do not contract the disease. Generally, it is only when we have a suppressed immune system or encounter an overwhelming number of organisms that we actually contract the disease.
Some basic preventative recommendations include:
- Do not use the same equipment for your animals that you use for yourself.
- Pet reptiles should be kept out of kitchens and other food-preparation areas to prevent contamination. Kitchen sinks should not be used to bathe reptiles or to wash their dishes, cages or aquariums. If bathtubs are used for these purposes, they should be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected with bleach.
- Wash all food and water bowls and equipment with hot soapy water and disinfect with a chlorhexidine or household bleach solution, (remember to rinse all disinfected utensils with clean water before using).
- Wear disposable gloves or wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling captive reptiles.
- Do not eat or smoke while working with or cleaning reptiles or their enclosures.
- Pregnant women, children, elderly or frail adults, or immunosuppressed people are particularly at risk of infection or serious complications of salmonellosis. At a minimum, they need to take extra precautions; ideally, they should avoid contact with reptiles.
- Pet reptiles should be kept out of households where children less than 5 years old or immunocompromised persons live. Families expecting a new child should remove the pet reptile from the home before the infant arrives.
- Pet reptiles should not be kept in child care centers.
- Pet reptiles should not be allowed to roam freely throughout the home or living area.
If these basic precautions and good common sense are observed, the risk of contracting Salmonella from a reptile is very low. Enjoy the reptile and remember that good hygienic practices are one of the best things you can do to protect yourself and your reptile from a whole host of infectious diseases.
About the Author:
After moving to Florida I decided to combine my love for writing with my knowledge of pets. For ten years I owned and operated a local pet sitting service and gained a wealth of information regarding pet care. In addition I have been an English teacher for several years as well as an aspiring writer. I recently completed a Masters Degree in Educational technology and I am looking forward to teaching college classes online. I am freelance writing and living happily in Florida with my husband and our Nikki, the most lovable golden retriever I know.
Article courtesy of Suite101.com.
