Warning over exotic pets after lizard kills baby

Baby dies after being infected with salmonella caught from family pet reptile

source: Cherry Norton
Independent February 24 2000 p4

British chief medical officer, Professor Liam Donaldson, has stated that the aged, pregnant women, and children of less than five years of age should not have contact with reptiles. This follows the death of a three-week-old baby from salmonella poisoning. The baby had been infected by a pet water dragon kept by the family. There were 258 cases of salmonella linked to reptiles in 1999, a rise from 198 cases in 1998. Nine tenths of reptiles are thought to carry salmonella. Humans do not usually suffer seriously from infections caught from reptiles, but there may be complications like septicaemia and salmonella meningitis. The bug is shed in the droppings of terrapins, lizards, snakes and other reptiles.
RE,HH