If the feeder rodents are colonized with Salmonella, the bacteria can be transmitted to reptiles as well as to the humans handling the rodents and reptiles ( Goupil et al., 2012). Mice or rats may be fed to carnivorous reptiles and amphibians some companies raise and sell these ‘feeder rodents’ for use as food for reptiles or amphibians. Colonized animals can appear healthy and clean, but may intermittently shed Salmonella in their faeces ( Burnham et al., 1998 Gaffga et al., 2012 Mettee Zarecki et al., 2013). Some types of animals, including reptiles and amphibians, ( Harris et al., 2009, 2010 Mettee Zarecki et al., 2013), as well as chicks, ducklings and other live poultry ( Loharikar et al., 2012 CDC, 2013a, b Gaffga et al., 2012) have been linked with multiple outbreaks of salmonellosis and pose a higher risk for human Salmonella infections. While most Salmonella infections result from contaminated foods, an estimated 11% of all Salmonella infections are attributed to animal exposure, including direct contact with animals, as well as indirect contact such as cleaning cages or bedding, handling food or food bowls, or handling anything in the area where the animal lives or roams ( Hale et al., 2012). Salmonella causes an estimated 1.2 million human infections, 23 128 hospitalizations and 452 deaths each year in the United States ( Scallan et al., 2011). Continued opportunities exist for public health officials, the pet industry, veterinarians and consumers to work together to prevent salmonellosis associated with pet food, pets and other animals. Persons should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling live or frozen feeder rodents, as well as reptiles or anything in the area where the animals live. Frozen feeder rodent producers, suppliers and distributors should follow the animal food labelling requirements as described in 21 CFR §501.5, and all packages of frozen feeder rodents should include safe handling instructions. Consumers, the pet industry, healthcare providers and veterinarians need to be aware of the potential health risk posed by feeder rodents, whether live or frozen. Only 13% of cases in our investigation were aware of the association between Salmonella infection and mice or rats. An international voluntary recall of all Company A produced frozen feeder animals sold between May 2009 and July 2010 occurred. Salmonella isolates indistinguishable from the outbreak strain were isolated from a frozen feeder mice-fed reptile owned by a case patient, as well as from frozen feeder mice and environmental samples collected from a rodent producing facility (Company A). This investigation found that illness due to the outbreak strain was significantly associated with exposure to pet reptiles and frozen feeder rodents used as food for pet reptiles. This report describes the epidemiologic, environmental and laboratory investigations conducted in the United States as part of the response to an international outbreak of tetracycline-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype I 4,12:i:- infections with over 500 illnesses occurring from 2008 to 2010. While most human Salmonella infections result from exposure to contaminated foods, an estimated 11% of all Salmonella infections are attributed to animal exposures, including both direct animal handling and indirect exposures such as cleaning cages and handling contaminated pet food.
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