Bearded dragon.Photo:Getty
Getty
A rare salmonella strain that has affected several infants in recent years in the U.S. and Canada has been traced back to pet bearded dragons, according to a new study published this week.
The results come as the bearded dragon, also known as the Pogona, is steadily becoming a popular household pet across the country, asshared across social mediain recent months.
Salmonella petri dish.Getty
“The outbreak strain was also isolated from an environmental sample collected from a patient’s bearded dragon enclosure,” the CDCP stated. Twelve cases were also traced in the U.S. between March 2021 and September 2022.
Bearded dragons, which are native to Australia, can be purchased in pet stores all over the U.S. and Canada, and are most likely bred in captivity.
A bearded dragon.Getty
It is now being advised that bearded dragons being housed as pets shouldn’t roam outside of their tanks to prevent any further outbreaks.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“They are the golden retriever of the reptile world in terms of ease of handling,” the president of theAssociation of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinariansand reptile owner, Dr. La’Toya Latney, said, perThe New York Times. “It actually increases the possibility of them getting sick or hurt.”
Households with infants should be cautious when it comes to having amphibians in general. Bearded dragons harbor salmonella bacteria in their digestive tracts that can spread into feces and on the lizard’s skin, making handling a potential cause of the spread of infection.
source: people.com
