The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking pet owners to be cautious after a recent salmonella outbreak was tied to pet hedgehogs and bearded dragons.
“Don’t kiss or snuggle your pet because this can spread Salmonella germs to your face and mouth,” the CDC said in an advisory.
The CDC is investigating an outbreak of 32 Salmonella Typhimurium infections in 17 states. Five people were hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.
The investigation found that 16 of the people who are ill had contact with pet hedgehogs before becoming sick.
Thirteen people from eight states have been infected with the salmonella muenster strain, including two people from New Hampshire and one in Massachusetts, CBS Boston reported. The CDC said seven people have been hospitalized, including five children under the age of five. No deaths have been reported.
Ten of those people said they had contact with a bearded dragon before getting sick, the investigation found.
“Don’t let children younger than 5 touch the bearded dragon or hedgehog because young children are more likely to have severe Salmonella illness,” the website said.
The CDC also suggests always washing your hands after touching your pet or anything in its environment, keep the pet out of the kitchen and always clean items used to care for the pet outside the house.
Hedgehogs and bearded dragons have led to salmonella outbreaks in the past, including in 2012 and 2019, the CDC said.
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