ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 9, 1995                   TAG: 9507100103
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: AMELIA                                LENGTH: Short

SALMONELLA FINALLY LINKED TO PET SNAKE

For three months, an Amelia County couple and public health investigators were stumped by the cause of the family's salmonella infections.

They checked for contaminated food, well water, even visitors to their home. Then they looked into another possibility - a pet boa constrictor.

Lab results this week confirmed the snake was the culprit.

Health officials said reptiles can be major sources of bacteria that cause salmonellosis, an illness with such symptoms as diarrhea, fever, vomiting and potentially serious bloodstream infections.

Salmonella infections are typically linked with eating contaminated foods, including undercooked poultry or eggs.

The Amelia County case, plus several other salmonella cases in which pet reptiles are now suspected, prompted the state Health Department's Piedmont Health District to alert owners of pet reptiles to the possible risks of salmonella infections.

- Associated Press 


 by CNB