Here's a headline you don't see everyday: "Pet Frogs Linked to U.S. Salmonella Outbreak Among Children." That's what Bloomberg is reporting today, following a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showing that frogs were responsible for a salmonella outbreak in 31 states. Here's more:
Nearly two-thirds of the 85 people infected with the Typhimurium strain of salmonella had some contact with frogs, according to a report released today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, which began investigating the outbreak in August. Most of the patients were children and among those whose outcomes are known, a third were hospitalized. None died.
The article points out this is the first time frogs have been linked to an outbreak, though turtles have been blamed several times. It goes on to say:
Public education efforts “should be expanded to include the risk for salmonellosis from aquatic pet frogs and other amphibians,” the CDC wrote in an editorial note accompanying the report. “Preventive measures include washing hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching animals or cleaning aquariums.”
Photo by rainforest_harley
