Keep reptiles away from the kitchen.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked a rare strain of salmonella to the ownership of bearded dragons, which have a cold-blooded cult following among pet owners.
People who allow the little tailed beasts to roam free endanger the health of their entire family, especially in eating environments. According to the CDC.
“Even if bearded dragons look healthy and clean, they can carry salmonella in their feces. These bacteria can be spread on their bodies and on everything in the areas where they live and roam. “It can easily spread to other countries,” the group warned.
“You can get sick if you touch a bearded dragon or anything in its environment, then touch your mouth or food, and swallow salmonella.”
By March 2023, 32 cases associated with bearded dragons had been observed, 10 of which involved hospitalization. New research published Under “Emerging Infectious Diseases,” 12 of those cases came from the United States between 2021 and 2022.
There have been two other cases of this diarrhea-causing disease in the Canadian province of Ontario, marking the first time in 14 years that a case of this particular disease has been confirmed in Canada.
The study also links the new cases to a single breeder in Southeast Asia.
Owners of the highly popular bearded dragon typically take the animals out of their cages frequently, said association president Dr. LaToya Ratney. Reptile and Amphibian Veterinary Association, told the New York Times.
“They're the golden retrievers of the reptile world in terms of ease of handling,” she says.
The conservationist professor at the University of California, Davis, added in a 2021 study that pets They were crowned the most owned reptile. — It is also becoming more popular among young college students.
“There are college students who come to class with bearded dragons on their shoulders, which is probably not the most sanitary thing to do,” Brian Todd told the Times.
“Hands should be washed after touching them, especially before preparing food or picking up children.”
According to the CDC, he's right. The CDC specifically warns: “Do not kiss or cuddle with bearded dragons or eat or drink around them,” it added, “salmonella can spread to your mouth and make you sick.” ”
The agency also recommends that children under 5 years old and adults over 65 years old not buy it because their immune systems are weakened.
