[ad_1]
Members of the public, especially hedgehog owners, are advised not to kiss or snuggle with their hedgehogs to avoid catching salmonella. The warning comes after a multi-state Salmonella outbreak related to pet hedgehogs. ( Silvo Bilinski | pixabay )
Hedgehog pet owners are urged not to kiss or kiss their pets in the middle of the current salmonella outbreak in several states. Up to now, 17 people have been infected with salmonella from their pet hedgehogs.
Outbreak of salmonella at several levels
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are currently conducting a survey on the multi-state salmonella outbreak related to pet hedgehogs. The disease began on October 22, 2018, and as of March 27, 17 people from 11 states have been infected.
Patients are aged 2 to 95, of whom 53% are women and 14% have been hospitalized. In the interviews, 87% reported having contact with hedgehogs in the week before their illness.
No deaths have been reported.
Prevent Salmonella
Hedgehogs can carry salmonella in their feces, even when they look clean and healthy, and the pathogen can easily spread to their bodies, their habitat, their toys and their environment . Anyone who touches an infected hedgehog or any contaminated object may also be infected.
As such, the CDC urges pet hedgehog owners and anyone likely to come into contact with hedgehogs to take extra precautions. First of all, it is imperative to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling a hedgehog, its objects or its surroundings.
It is also very important to play with pets safely, which means that pet owners should not kiss or snuggle with their hedgehog, as this could spread germs directly to the pet. face and mouth. Hedgehogs must also not be allowed to roam freely in areas where food is stored or prepared to avoid contamination. Similarly, it is best to clean all their belongings outside the house or in another place that does not require meal preparation.
Choose the right animal
According to the CDC, children under five, adults over 65 and those with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable to such infections. As such, households with these individuals might want to opt for another type of pet.
As for those who became ill, they got their hedgehogs from various sources, such as pet shops, online sales sites and hedgehog breeders. In this regard, hedgehog sellers and breeders are advised to provide educational materials to customers and employees for safety reasons.
Ⓒ 2018 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
[ad_2]
Source link
