Salmonella: Salmonella are commonly found in all types of reptiles and can spread from reptiles to humans when something contaminated with reptile faeces is placed in the mouth. For example, infants can become infected with Salmonella by drinking bottles of formula contaminated by contact with the reptile/reptile faeces. Salmonella infection causes diarrhoea, headache, fever and stomach cramps and can result in septicaemia (blood poisoning). Dehydration can be severe.
In 2008, there were 449 cases of salmonellosis, fifteen cases of which had recent contact with reptiles. Nine of these fifteen cases were under one year of age.
Botulism: Botulism is a serious and life-threatening illness caused by a toxin released by the
Clostridium bacterium that causes paralysis and death.
Clostridium is found widely in the environment including soil and mud as spores and animals that live close to the ground are commonly contaminated with clostridium.
Clostridium commonly contaminates reptiles, especially aquatic reptiles. Adults and older children have a range of bacteria that overgrow the spores responsible but small babies under the age of one year have not yet developed this protection. It has recently been recognised that exposure to turtles or to turtle feed was the likely cause in two cases of infant botulism in Ireland. Accordingly, the HPSC advises that
reptiles (especially turtles) are not appropriate pets for small children and should not be kept in households in which there are children under the age of five. In addition, if you own turtles and you visit a household in which there are children under five (and most especially households with infants under the age of one), you should wash your hands immediately after contact with turtles or their water and again
on entering the house in which there are small children.
Other infections: illness such as
campylobacteriosis (a bowel infection),
leptospirosis (a liver disease),
trichinellosis (a disease of muscles, the nervous system and the heart and lungs) have been associated with keeping reptiles and while most are treatable, some can be very serious. That said the risk for most people keeping reptiles does not pose a significant health risk, as long as proper hygiene is maintained. Most people have a low risk of getting ill with Salmonella infection from contact with reptiles and this risk can be reduced further by following the advice below.
