Risks From Pets and Pet Food: Major Outbreaks of Enteric Zoonoses in 2012–2013

Risks From Pets and Pet Food: Major Outbreaks of Enteric Zoonoses in 2012–2013

As a health professional, you can provide the most up-to-date information on prevention of animal-related enteric zoonoses to your patients, including young children, older adults, and those who are immunocompromised, including pregnant women. Learn from some recent outbreaks on ways you can help patients and families enjoy their pets without getting sick!

Backyard Poultry and Salmonella

Several multistate outbreaks linked to contact with live poultry occurred in 2012–2013. More than 840 people were infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella and more than 150 were hospitalized. These outbreaks were linked to contact with chicks, ducklings, and other live poultry from various mail-order hatcheries across the United States. Chicks and other baby birds can become infected with Salmonella at the mail-order hatchery level; it is important for these mail-order hatcheries to take steps to prevent Salmonella contamination in their facilities.

Mail-order hatcheries, agricultural feed stores, and others that sell or display chicks, ducklings, and other live poultry should provide health-related information to owners and potential purchasers of these birds prior to the point of purchase. This should include information about the risk of acquiring a Salmonella infection from contact with live poultry or their environment and the simple things that can be done to reduce the risk for illness.^[1-5]

Photo courtesy of CDC

Backyard Poultry: Safe Practices

Lessons Learned: Any live poultry can be carrying Salmonella but appear healthy and clean and show no signs of illness. Remember that contact with live poultry, including baby or adult birds, or their environment, can be a source of human Salmonella infections. Tell patients to always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam. Adults should supervise hand washing for young children.^[1-5]

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Hedgehogs: Risky Pets?

A total of 26 persons infected with a particular strain of Salmonella Typhimurium were reported from 12 states. In interviews, 20 (80%) of 25 ill persons reported contact with pet hedgehogs or their environments before becoming ill. Thirty-five percent of ill persons for whom information was available were children 10 years of age or younger.

State health departments tested environmental and hedgehog samples collected from ill persons' homes. Two environmental samples from areas where hedgehogs lived or were bathed in patients' households yielded the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium.^[6]

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Hedgehogs: Wash Hands!

Lessons Learned: Contact with pet hedgehogs can be a source of human Salmonella infections. Salmonella germs are shed in their droppings and can easily contaminate their bodies and anything in areas where these animals live and roam. Advise pet owners to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds right after touching hedgehogs or anything in the area where they live and roam. Adults should supervise hand washing for young children.^[6]

Chart courtesy of CDC

Dry Dog Food: Risks and Recalls

A total of 49 ill persons infected with a particular strain of Salmonella Infantis were reported from 20 states and Canada. Most of these ill persons interviewed reported contact with a dog in the week before their illness began. Additionally, most people reported contact with particular dry dog foods produced at a single production facility in South Carolina.

The outbreak strain was isolated from open bags of dry dog food from ill persons’ homes as well as unopened retail samples. The outbreak stopped after multiple recalls by the single producer resulted in over 30,000 tons of dry dog and cat food being recalled.^[7]

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Dry Dog Food: Precautions

Lessons Learned: This is the second documented outbreak of human Salmonella infections linked to dry pet food in the United States. People should be aware that dry pet food is not manufactured to be a sterile product and may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Keeping young children away from dry pet food and washing hands right after handling dry pet food and treats are important steps to prevent illness.^[7]

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Small Turtles and Salmonella

From March 2012 through October 2013, a total of 473 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Sandiego, Salmonella Pomona, and Salmonella Poona linked to 8 distinct outbreaks were reported from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Seventy percent of ill persons were children 10 years of age or younger, and 31% of ill persons were 1 year of age or younger. Forty-four percent of ill persons were of Hispanic ethnicity.

Environmental samples from small turtle habitats at ill persons' homes yielded the outbreak strains in 7 of the 8 outbreaks. Additionally, some of these habitats yielded multiple outbreak strains of Salmonella, indicating that these outbreaks were possibly linked.^[8]

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Small Turtles Illegal as Pets

Lessons Learned: Small turtles are a well-known source of human Salmonella infections, especially among young children. Because of this risk, the FDA has banned the sale and distribution of these turtles as pets since 1975. Turtles with shell lengths of less than 4 inches should never be purchased as pets or given as gifts. The small turtles and their habitats are attractive to young children and may look safe to their parents, but they are often contaminated with Salmonella.^[8]

Photo courtesy of CDC