A Salmonella outbreak linked to frozen rodents used as food for pet snakes and other reptiles that has sickened 37 people in the U.S., now includes 20 cases in Canada, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Three Canadians were hospitalized.
The 20 cases in Canada were in the following provinces: British Columbia (1), Ontario (16) and Quebec (3). In the U.S. cases were reported from 18 states:Alabama (1), Arizona (2), California (7), Illinois (1), Kentucky (1), Maryland (1), Michigan (2), Minnesota (1), Missouri (2), Montana (3), New Jersey (3), New Mexico (1), North Carolina (1), Ohio (4), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (3), South Dakota (1), and Texas (1).
Investigators in the U.S. traced the source of the outbreak to frozen rodents from Reptile Industries, Inc.of Naples Fla. The company has not issued a recall. The contaminated product, Arctic Mice brand frozen rodents, were sold at PetSmart throughout the U.S.
The best way to prevent illness is to wash hands thoroughly after feeding, caring for or cleaning up after pet reptiles. “Any surface that a reptile or rodent (live or frozen) touches is considered contaminated and therefore needs to be cleaned with soap or disinfected with bleach,” Canadian health officials say.
They also advise that reptile habitats should not be cleaned inside the home. When cleaning a reptile habitat, use of disposable gloves is recommended. Water from the habitats should not be poured into kitchen sinks.
Do not keep reptile foods in the kitchen. Dead rodents should not be stored in the same freezer as human food and should not be defrosted in the kitchen. Microwaves used to thaw frozen feeder rodents should not be used for human food.
