Pet Frogs Behind Salmonella Outbreak
Jan. 8 -- THURSDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDay News) -- For the first time in the United States, doctors have spotted an outbreak of Salmonella linked to African dwarf frogs, typically kept in home aquariums.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak is ongoing, with 85 cases of Salmonella infection in 31 states identified by the end of December.
Salmonella outbreaks have previously been tied to other small pets, such as turtles, but "this is a unique investigation," said report coauthor and CDC epidemiologist Shauna Mettee. "This is the first known outbreak of Salmonella due to contact with frogs -- especially African dwarf frogs."
The infections are mostly in children, Mettee noted. "Half the cases were less than 5 [years of age] and almost 80 percent of all the cases were less than 10 years old. And we are continuing to see new cases," she said.
The report is published in the Jan. 8 issue of the CDC's journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The first signs of an outbreak occurred in April in Utah, where officials identified five cases of Salmonella infection in children. Cases were then found in other states, including Colorado, Ohio, New Mexico and California.
These frogs can be purchased at pet stores, small convenience stores, fairs and toy stores, among other outlets, according to Mettee. "You put them in your aquarium with other fish," she said.
However, like reptiles, such as turtles, frogs are known to carry Salmonella.
The disease is passed to humans not only by touching the frog itself, but from the water in the aquarium.
"Anything the frog comes into contact with is contaminated with Salmonella," Mettee explained. Even when you change the water in the aquarium, some Salmonella remains -- either in the water, the aquarium gravel or other surfaces within the tank.
Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibits the sale of turtles whose shells are less than four inches long, because of the high risk of Salmonella. There are no current regulations governing the sale of frogs, Mettee noted.
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