Poor hedgehogs are to blame in the Salmonella outbreak

This pet hedgehog might not be such a good idea after all.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Friday a notice regarding 11 Salmonella infections in eight US states. In all but one case, these people had been in contact with a pet hedgehog.

Only one person went to the hospital because of the outbreak, but health officials worry about the growing number of infected cases in Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas and Wyoming.

Infected people are between 2 and 28 years old and infections started in October. The same strain of Salmonella was found in three hedgehogs from two infected people's homes in Minnesota. It is not known yet if it is possible to find a common supplier of hedgehogs, but in the meantime, hedgehog owners are advised to exercise caution.

Spiny animals carry Salmonella in their excrement – even if they look beautiful and healthy. Then, when humans touch domestic animals and their places of life, germs spread and people get sick, especially young children or those whose health is already compromised. Health officials recommend washing hands, cleaning cages and keeping hedgehogs out of the kitchen.

For some people, the risk of infection may be too high, so maybe a hedgehog is just not the right pet for you, no matter how beautiful. As the CDC warns: "Do not kiss and hug the hedgehogs."