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Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Zoonotic diseases (those that can pass from animals to people) such Salmonella bacteria infections are a potential concern in the keeping of any pet. Many people associate Salmonella with reptiles, but nearly any animal, including dogs, cats and birds, may harbor this troublesome micro-organism. Handling an animal that carries Salmonella will not cause an infection; the bacteria are harmful to people only if ingested.
Note: This article is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to replace a doctor’s advice. Please consult your physician or veterinarian for specific information concerning disease prevention and treatment.
Avoiding Salmonella: Knowledge is Key
Fortunately, Salmonella infections can be avoided by following a few simple rules. Healthy individuals have a relatively low risk of becoming infected; infants, and people with compromised immune systems, are more susceptible. Please see the CDC’s website, below, for further information.
If we are to safely enjoy our pets, it is important that we are aware of any associated health concerns. Once this is accomplished, we will be able maintain a reasonable perspective, i.e. that disease does not usually follow pet ownership. For example, dogs are capable of harboring at least 17 harmful microorganisms, yet the vast majority of dog-owners are untroubled by health problems.
The same can be said of reptile owners – Salmonella infections are not typical. However, it is important to understand that Salmonella bacteria are likely present in all reptile and amphibian digestive tracts. While the bacteria rarely cause illnesses in their hosts, they are shed in the feces and may then be encountered by people.
How is Salmonella Transferred?
It is important that pet owners understand how bacteria are transferred from animals to people. When a reptile or amphibian contacts fecal material in its terrarium, the bacteria may spread to the animal’s skin. Thereafter, the bacteria can be spread to various surfaces that appear “clean” to the eye (i.e. fecal material is not visible). Animal skin, water bowls, substrates, cage decorations, and surfaces upon which animals have walked (floors, etc.) may all harbor bacteria that have been shed in feces.
People can become infected and/or spread the bacteria to others if they handle a reptile (or its cage, etc.) and then eat, or touch surfaces that come in contact with food, before washing properly. Young children are especially at risk, since fingers often find their way into mouths.
When is Salmonella Transferred?
Salmonella bacteria is most commonly (and, from a “bacterial” point of view, effectively!) transferred to hands and other areas of skin during cage and water bowl cleaning, feeding, and when pets are handled. Hands must always be washed well after these activities (please see CDC Guidelines, below).
Cleaning Cages and Surfaces
Reptile enclosures, food bowls, cage accessories and the like should be cleaned with Nolvasan, a reptile-safe commercial cleaner, or a solution of 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water. Do not use Nolvasan in amphibian terrariums.
Tools used in terrariums should be soaked in the bleach solution described above before being re-used in the same or another enclosure. Be sure to remove feces and other organic material before soaking. Rinse tools well after removal from the soak solution.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines
The following guidelines have been prepared by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. For additional information, please see the CDC’s website.
- Adults should always supervise hand-washing for young children.
- Do not let children younger than 5 years of age handle or touch reptiles or amphibians, or anything in the area where they live and roam, including water from containers or aquariums.
- Reptiles and amphibians should not be kept in homes where children younger than 5 years old or people with weakened immune systems reside.
- Reptiles and amphibians should not be kept in child care centers, nursery schools or other facilities serving children below 5 years of age.
- Do not touch your mouth after handling reptiles or amphibians and do not eat or drink around animals.
- Do not let reptiles or amphibians roam freely in homes or in areas where food or drink is prepared, served, or stored.
- Pet habitats and their contents should be carefully cleaned outside of the home. Use disposable gloves when cleaning and do not dispose of water in sinks used for food preparation or for obtaining drinking water.
- Do not bathe animals or clean their habitats in kitchen sinks. If bathtubs are used for these purposes, they should be thoroughly cleaned afterward. Use bleach to disinfect a tub or other place where terrariums are cleaned.
- Wash clothing that has been in contact with pets.
- Use soap or a disinfectant to thoroughly clean any surfaces that have been in contact with reptiles or amphibians.
This information is not designed to discourage reptile and amphibian ownership… with a bit of care, the most commonly-encountered problems can be effectively managed.
Please check out my posts on Twitter and Facebook. Each day, I highlight breaking research, conservation news and interesting stories concerning just about every type of animal imaginable. I look forward to hearing about your interests and experiences as well, and will use them in articles when possible.
Please also post your questions and comments below…I’ll be sure to respond quickly.
Thanks, until next time,
Frank Indiviglio
Further Reading
Dwarf Clawed Frogs and Salmonella
Disease Concerns for Pet Owners (Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital)
Zoonotic Diseases and Organisms
Avoiding Salmonella and Micobacteria: Aqua Gloves
Softshell Turtle in ginseng shop By E8976-Namdaemun-Turtles-sold-in-ginseng-shop.jpg: Vmenkov derivative work: Vmenkov (E8976-Namdaemun-Turtles-sold-in-ginseng-shop.jpg) [CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
Hello Frank,
I am curious as to what percentage of reptile owners truly follow the CDC guidelines to the T. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t, for example, use disposable gloves during enclosure/spot cleaning(of course I make sure to wash my hands afterward). I don’t know of too many families who got rid of their reptile pets when they raised kids. Theirs a picture of Bindi Irwin with a fistful of Burmese pythons as a toddler. I’ve started doing some educational presentations using my collection, so have to be particularly careful esp. with kids. I make sure to clean the reptiles before I take them along(scrubbing/rinsing with a bit of soap doesn’t seem to harm them so long as it is kept away from the head). And of course have hand sanitizer to use after handling.
The question posed by most people is if contact with reptiles/amphibians is a more likely source of salmonella than other animals(since reptiles invariably have salmonella) or whether they pose the same risk as far as contraction of zoonoses. No one suggests getting rid of a dog or a cat, is this an objective view that reptile/amphibians are more likely to transmit a serious zoonose?(it seems salmonella is the only zoonose captive reptiles/amphibians are likely to transmit)
Thanks!
~Joseph
Hello Joseph,
Nice to hear from you again. I imagine most people will continue as they have been doing assuming they’ve had no problems, and that the recommendations will become more commonplace with the next generation of keepers. When I started in zoos, gloves were not even in use among mammal keepers; today primate keepers clean while in what appear to be “space suits”. Once guidelines are established, zoos, doctors, etc. must comply, not only for health reasons but also to limit liability. This has resulted in some sad situations…some years ago, NY City schools prohibited the use of reptiles in any classroom setting, even if handling was not allowed. But there’s no way around such things.
Reptiles can transmit other diseases, but such is not common. They are more likely to Dogs and other pets can carry Salmonella and a host of other zoonoses, but Salmonella is not normally carried by healthy individuals, as it seems to be by herps. An infectious disease doctor I spoke with in NYC said that he most commonly saw infections from cat scratches and mico-bacteria infections from tropical fish aquariums among his patients.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello Frank,
Certainly in the case of primates their are many particularly dangerous zoonoses that can be transmitted.
My understanding is that cat scratch disease and some other zoonoses transmitted by cats/dogs are relatively benign…that is, people usually don’t become seriously ill from them. Salmonella is interesting in that it is pretty much ubiquitous. That is-you can get it a variety of things almost every household brings in(raw meat, produce, etc.) yet it can be a more serious illness.
CDC reccomends, for example, that families with elderly folk, children under 5 not own reptiles/amphibians, baby chicks, and ducklings. Certainly no one is recommending one to get rid of their dog or cat.
~Joseph
Hello Joseph
Thanks for the feedback. Some can be quite serious, although as you mention not nearly so commonly as occurs in the case of Salmonella. One problem is the recent trend towards highly resistant strains of strep and staph – this is most commonly seen in hospitals, and related infections from dogs and cats are often limited to the skin, but there is some cause for concern. Crypto can also be quite resilient in some cases, and pregnant women have long been advised to avoid working around cats due to the potential for toxoplasmosis infections. Unfortunately, any infection is of grave concern to people undergoing chemo, HIV patients, and others with compromised immune systems. I always advise folks to seek their doctor’s advice, as every situation is unique.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello Frank,
Interesting stuff. Yes Toxoplasmosis is a big one, but again in this case the advisory is not to get rid of the cats but simply to have someone else clean the litterbox (the assumption is that cats and dogs are clean enough of animals that minimal bacteria from their feces ends up on their skin). Just curious if you know what any professionals or hobbyists who maintain large collections did when they raised their own kids?
~Joseph
Hello Joseph,
I think doctors vary a bit in their approach, perhaps basing their recommendations on their knowledge of the patient, how careful they are likely to be, potential complications, etc…just my own thoughts, as some doctors are stricter than others re this. I’ve heard all sorts of stories from professionals and hobbyists; a bad experience, as when a zoo curator’s child came down with Salmonella, changes perspectives. Most seem to take extra care when they become parents or are responsible for elderly/ill relatives; not sure how common it is for people to give away pets.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.