Keep your reptile away from the kitchen.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that a rare strain of salmonella has been linked to the ownership of bearded dragon lizards, a cold-blooded cult favorite among pet owners.
Those who allow small-tailed animals to roam freely endanger the health of their entire household, especially in food settings, according to the CDC.
“Bearded dragons can carry salmonella germs in their feces even if they look healthy and clean. These germs easily spread to their bodies and anything in the area where they live and roam,” the organization warned.
“You can get sick from touching your bearded dragon or anything in its environment and then touch your mouth or food and ingest salmonella.”
A strain of salmonella has been tied to the popular bearded dragon lizard. Getty Images
As of March 2023, there have been 32 observed cases — 10 involving hospitalizations — tied to bearded dragons, and a new study published in “Emerging Infectious Diseases” reports that 12 of those came from the US between 2021 and 2022.
There have been two more cases of diarrhea-causing illness in Ontario, Canada, and it’s the first of this particular strain the country has seen in 14 years.
The study also linked the new case to a single breeder in Southeast Asia.
Owners of the very popular bearded dragon usually remove the lizard from its cage, said Dr. La’Toya Latney, who is president of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, told the New York Times.
“They are the golden retrievers of the reptile world in terms of ease of handling,” he said.
Those cases have been fatal to a farmer in Southeast Asia. Getty Images/iStockphoto
A conservation professor at the University of California, Davis added that the pets — a 2021 survey named them the most-owned reptile — have taken off with college-age young adults, too.
“I had college students who would come to class with their bearded dragons on their shoulders, which might not be the cleanest thing,” Brian Todd told the Times.
“After you handle one, you need to wash your hands, especially before preparing food or picking up your child.”
Bearded dragons are easy to carry, making them very popular. But there is a risk of disease that comes with handling it. Getty Images/iStockphoto
He’s right, according to the CDC, which specifically warns: “Don’t kiss or cuddle your bearded dragon, and don’t eat or drink around it,” adding that it “can spread Salmonella germs to your mouth and make you sick.”
The agency also advises against getting it for children under the age of 5 or adults over 65 because of weakened immune systems.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
