Always wash your food and sanitize surfaces the food may have come in contact with because if you don’t, then you might get Salmonella. People with salmonellosis (infection caused by Salmonella) can develop symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. According to the CDC and FDA, in 2021, many people who have eaten raw onions have gotten Salmonella Oranienburg infections which are linked to the vehicle of fresh onions that have been imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico and health officials recalled red, yellow, and white onions. The New York Times stated that “more than 650 people in 37 states have been sickened” due to the imported onions. The CDC and FDA recommend throwing away all onions that do not have a sticker on them or packaging that does not indicate where they are from. Thankfully this outbreak is over, but remember if you have recalled onions to throw them away and wash items and surfaces that may have also been touched by the recalled onions.
As if onions are not enough, there’s a reason you shouldn’t kiss certain animals such as chickens and now bearded dragons?! Why? Salmonella is an infection due to salmonella bacteria which is most frequently caused by contaminated food or water. There seems to be a link between bearded dragons and this recent salmonella outbreak due to people who are infecting stating that they have a pet bearded dragon. The CDC claims that “as of January 10, 2022, a total of 44 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Uganda have been reported from 25 states” and this number is possibly much higher due to people who are most likely recovering that have not been hospitalized. The age of sick people ranges from 1-84, but eight of the infections have been in children under the age of 5. According to USA Today, bearded dragons (similar to most reptiles) carry Salmonella bacteria in their intestinal tract which they shed into their droppings which will not infect humans, unless they come in contact with it and don’t properly clean afterwards. Touching or holding one of these reptiles won’t get you sick, but if the reptile is contaminated with feces or comes in contact with another person’s mouth, then it becomes a problem. This is why we do not kiss or cuddle with chickens and now bearded dragons (or any reptile) because of diseases such as Salmonella.
Between these two very strange outbreaks of Salmonella, there’s some distinct differences between the onion and bearded dragon outbreaks. For example, in onions, they can be contaminated at any given point during the food supply chain and it’s a food vehicle. Consequently, Salmonella in bearded dragons is carried in their droppings and can easily spread to their bodies and anything in the area where they inhabit. The vehicle of transmission of Salmonella in onions was food, but for bearded dragons it was their feces. The reservoir for the Salmonella outbreak in onions was food; however, in bearded dragons the reservoir was reptiles. These two outbreaks have the same recommendation for how to deal with Salmonella properly which is to wash your hands and keep supplies and surrounding areas clean to reduce the likelihood of infection. Let this be a lesson to us all: clean surface thoroughly, wash your hands, and do NOT kiss or cuddle your bearded dragon or any other reptile pets!
Jada Edmark 