To the UNITED STATESthem Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and multi-state public health officials are investigating 2 multi-state outbreaks of salmonellosis at Salmonella [enterica] of serotypes Vitkin et IIIb 61:z52:z53.
Epidemiological and laboratory data have shown that contact with a pet bearded dragon (Drive sp) was at the origin of the pathology.
As of January 20, 2023, a total of 32 people have been infected with strains of Salmonella Vitkin (12 people) and Salmonella_ IIIb 61:z52:z53 (20 people) in 20 states (California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts , Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Sick people range in age from 1 to 75 years, with a median of 6 years. Among them, 15 (47%) are children under 5 years old, with 11 children under 1 year old. A total of 19 (59%) patients are women. Of 24 people with available information, 10 (42%) were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Of the 25 people surveyed, 16 (64%) said they had contact with a pet bearded dragon a week before falling ill.
Reminder on the salmonellosis :
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days following being exposed to the bacteria. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days and most people recover without treatment. In some people, the disease can be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Salmonella infection can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other parts of the body.
Children under 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to suffer from severe disease.
Source : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
