Don’t lick the lizards - really
Salmonella outbreak linked to geckos; 35 cases confirmed, including one in New Brunswick
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has issued a public alert about salmonella outbreak countrywide, but those seeking insurance in case of illness probably shouldn’t turn to a gecko for it.
The federal agency reported Friday that in partnership with provincial counterparts, it’s investigating a salmonella outbreak that’s led to 35 confirmed illnesses in seven provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
The apparent culprit isn’t compromised chicken or lilting lettuce, but something far more surprising and offbeat: geckos.
Yes, geckos - but from touching them, not eating them.
“Based on investigation findings to date, exposure to geckos has been identified as a likely source of the outbreak,” PHAC wrote in an advisory Friday.
“Many of the individuals who became sick reported having direct or indirect contact with geckos, or the environments where these pets are kept, before their illnesses occurred.”
Reptiles such as geckos can carry salmonella, the agency reported.
“You can get sick with Salmonella by touching reptiles or their environments and then touching your face, eyes or mouth without first washing your hands,” it said.
While some patients hadn’t touched the lizards directly, they lived in the same households where the animals were kept, it said, and salmonella of the same strain was found in a gecko habitat that was kept in the home of a person who fell ill.
“As of March 22, 2024 there are 35 confirmed cases of Salmonella Lome illness reported in this outbreak in the following provinces: British Columbia (2), Alberta (2), Saskatchewan (2), Manitoba (2), Ontario (18), Quebec (8) and New Brunswick (1),” the advisory said.
“Individuals became sick between March 2020 and January 2024. Five individuals have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.”
Individuals who got sick covered a wide age range, up to 84 years of age, PHAC said, and two-thirds of patients were female.
The more recent cases were linked to some going back four years through lab work, it said.
“Using a laboratory method called whole genome sequencing, it was determined that some salmonella illnesses dating back to 2020 were caused by the same outbreak strain as the illnesses that occurred in 2024,” the advisory said.
Preventative methods include good hand hygiene, with frequent hand-washing and safe handling of geckos and their environments, it said.
Symptoms of salmonella bacteria infections include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and abdominal cramps, PHAC said, and they typically manifest six to 72 hours after exposure to salmonella bacteria, usually lasting for four to seven days.
Those infected can spread can spread salmonella to other people for several days after infection, even up to several weeks, whether they experience symptoms or not.
The advisory noted that most who experience salmonella illness will recover fully after a few days without treatment, though it can lead to severe illness and even hospitalization.
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