Salmonella guys, and not fun!

[BCS]

Yes, four days ago I got the symptoms for salmonella. I visited the doctor yesterday after the pain got so bad I could barely breathe. After a blood sample, a match for match of symptoms and the obvious snake keeping landed me in bed with salmonella with strict rules on eating, drinking, and low activity.

If you are curious, I do wash my hands after cleaning or holding onto my snakes... but I must have touched my face or something in between, which wouldn't surprise me especially with it being so hot and sweating during my daily cleaning, feeding and checking activities.

Out of curiousity, are all snakes infected with it? I have had snakes for a couple of years now and have never had salmonella, till now, recently got a new one 7 days ago and wondering if she could be the culprit or if it could have been any of my snakes no matter how long I have had them?

[tbowman]

Not familiar with the bacteria but a quick search tells me that the majority of reptiles carry Salmonella in their intestinal tract. Of course there are other causes, including food and potentially mammal pets.

I would think your assumption about the way you contracted it is probably right.

[DVirginiana]

First of all, get better soon!

Secondly, it may not be due to the snakes. You're far more likely to get salmonella from something you ate either at home or in a restaurant (or even by touching certain fruits at the grocery store), especially if you eat a lot of uncooked vegetable foods like salad or guacamole. Unless the doctor did a culture and found that it was something specific to reptiles, I feel like that may be more likely since you use appropriate hygiene around them.

I don't think they all necessarily carry it, but I'm not sure what the exact rates are. I remember seeing somewhere where turtles were the worst reptiles to transmit it, but I'm not sure if that's because they're more likely to have it or because people are more likely to touch a turtle and not think about immediately sanitizing their hands.

I've had reptiles for about 16 years now and never came down with any sort of illness from it, and I certainly wasn't on top of hygiene practices when I was 12, so I'd say it's typically pretty difficult to get salmonella from them as a general rule.

[Eric Alan]

Yes, four days ago I got the symptoms for salmonella. I visited the doctor yesterday after the pain got so bad I could barely breathe. After a blood sample, a match for match of symptoms and the obvious snake keeping landed me in bed with salmonella with strict rules on eating, drinking, and low activity.

If you are curious, I do wash my hands after cleaning or holding onto my snakes... but I must have touched my face or something in between, which wouldn't surprise me especially with it being so hot and sweating during my daily cleaning, feeding and checking activities.

Out of curiousity, are all snakes infected with it? I have had snakes for a couple of years now and have never had salmonella, till now, recently got a new one 7 days ago and wondering if she could be the culprit or if it could have been any of my snakes no matter how long I have had them?

The Salmonella bacteria usually don't usually cause illness in reptiles, so it's not really correct to say that they are infected with it. There are those that are carriers though and once they are a carrier it's likely that that they're going to stay that way. If you want to find out, a vet can do a fecal culture for you. Multiple cultures are pretty common, as they have to be shedding the bacteria at the time of the culture for it to show up, which they don't always do. Personally, I treat all of my animals like they are carriers and act as such.

Sorry to hear that you got the worst of it. Just keep up on the common sense sanitation and hygiene and you shouldn't have issues going forward.

[tbowman]

I've had reptiles for about 16 years now and never came down with any sort of illness from it, and I certainly wasn't on top of hygiene practices when I was 12, so I'd say it's typically pretty difficult to get salmonella from them as a general rule.

Seconded

[PhoenixGate]

I contracted salmonella eight years ago after I quit my job at mcdonalds. I always cook my meat thoroughly at home, so when I got a follow up call with my diagnosis (which was obtained from a stool sample) I tracked it back to that last meal. That particular store reset all the timers on the trays that kept the cooked patties warm, and the patties were always cooked medium. It was about two weeks of absolutely not fun. I spent a lot of time playing my playstation 2 at the time.

[BCS]

I totally get the uncooked food thing but the timing of me getting the new snake is what is making me think it was the snake. I don't eat much salad, though I should and I hate fruit. Love brussel sprouts and asparagus though! People find me weird for that, but i cook those. I am not saying it HAS to be my snakes but it definitely could be... either way still made me curious. I don't think I am going to go to vet to see if this is the case honestly. Maybe if it happens again I might but I will definitely be more careful about it. It really sucks and I would never wish this on anyone.

[BCS]

I contracted salmonella eight years ago after I quit my job at mcdonalds. I always cook my meat thoroughly at home, so when I got a follow up call with my diagnosis (which was obtained from a stool sample) I tracked it back to that last meal. That particular store reset all the timers on the trays that kept the cooked patties warm, and the patties were always cooked medium. It was about two weeks of absolutely not fun. I spent a lot of time playing my playstation 2 at the time.

Do people even have PS2s anymore hahaha... me, so far my time has been spent arguing with my new boss (apparently I am unreliable, not sick to them. Even my doctors note doesn't work in this system apparently) and a lot of anime and BP.net forums It literally hurts to move.

[PhoenixGate]

The really sucky part is that after the symptoms go away you're still contagious for 3 months; that's why they ask about it if you're applying for a food servers card.I moved in with my brother about two months after I recovered, we slipped up once on who drank out of what glass and he got infected too. So be careful who you share drinks with in the next few months.

You may very well have contracted it from the snake. All you had to do was touch something before washing your hands that would hold the bacteria long enough to contaminate your hands again. All I can say is that I worked in the biology lab of my college while I was going for my aa degree and regularly took care of the beardie there as well as the snakes in my home. I was very careful not to touch my eyes, nose or mouth before washing my hands and I was ok. I'm guessing you got infected exactly how you think you did. Not touching your face while wearing gloves (or while handling reptiles) is one of the hardest habits to break.

And hey, I love brussel sprouts and asparagus too! I love sauteeing brussel sprouts in butter until they're tender.

[PhoenixGate]

Do people even have PS2s anymore hahaha... me, so far my time has been spent arguing with my new boss (apparently I am unreliable, not sick to them. Even my doctors note doesn't work in this system apparently) and a lot of anime and BP.net forums It literally hurts to move.

Ouch, sorry to hear that. Yeah this was back in 2007, so that's what I had lol was a ps2. I got lucky and I never hurt that much, I just felt achy and really, really sick. Plus really disgusting things involving the bathroom. Worst two weeks ever.