SCI/TECH: Dozens Contract Illness From Small Pets

Some thirty people have been sickened by handling small pets, such as hamsters and mice. Experts suggest that these numbers might underestimate the extent of the problem. The so-called "pocket pets" are infected with a drug resistant strain of salmonella. Those who own such pets are warned to wash their hands after handling them and not to think that seemingly healthy animals might not be infected. Salmonella is related to the baterium that causes Typhoid Fever. The Center for Disease Control has been following this outbreak since the summer of 2004.



While salmonella is a ubiquitous bacteria and infection is rather common, affecting some two million Americans per year, the real threat in this case is that the strain is resistant across some five classes of antibiotics. Some believe that this strain of bacteria may have arisen because pet shop owners often use antibiotics on their rodent stocks to prevent diarrhea, which is common among rodents. As many of the victims have been children, parents should be careful to inform their children of the proper procedures for handling these pets.

Related News Links:
www.salmonella.org
gsbs.utmb.edu


[edit on 05/5/8 by GradyPhilpott]

As a child, growing up in Michigan in the late fifties and early sixties, I clearly recall an outbreak of Salmonella related to pets. The culprits in this instance were turtles! At that time, small pet "painted turtles" were the rage. You could buy a small silver-dollar sized turtle from almost every "dime store" (i.e. Kresges/K-Mart, Woolworths'). They cost less than a dollar and for a few bucks more, you could also purchase a little plastic tank to in which to keep your little hard-shelled pet. The tank was as big as a soup bowl. It would hold about an inch or two of water and there was this little "island" in the middle that had a plastic palm tree about six inches tall to make it a more "natural" habitat. It was quite a fad at the time. But then it was discovered that an outbreak of Salmonella poisoning could be traced to those little turtles and after a few years it was nearly impossible to find those little "painted turtles" anywhere.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
As a child, growing up in Michigan in the late fifties and early sixties, I clearly recall an outbreak of Salmonella related to pets. The culprits in this instance were turtles! At that time, small pet "painted turtles" were the rage. You could buy a small silver-dollar sized turtle from almost every "dime store" (i.e. Kresges/K-Mart, Woolworths'). They cost less than a dollar and for a few bucks more, you could also purchase a little plastic tank to in which to keep your little hard-shelled pet. The tank was as big as a soup bowl. It would hold about an inch or two of water and there was this little "island" in the middle that had a plastic palm tree about six inches tall to make it a more "natural" habitat. It was quite a fad at the time. But then it was discovered that an outbreak of Salmonella poisoning could be traced to those little turtles and after a few years it was nearly impossible to find those little "painted turtles" anywhere.

Any turtles with a shell length under 4" are illegal to sell since that outbreak you mentioned (actually 1975 was the year they were banned). Interestingly, all reptiles and amphibians can carry salmonella no matter how young or old, big or small they are. The logic was that children would be less likely to contract salmonella from an adult turtle since they would not put the large turtle in their mouths (which was how the outbreak started).

I work at PetCo, it is my job to know these things