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An ongoing Canada-wide salmonella outbreak, which includes reported cases in Alberta, is linked to snakes, rodents and geckos, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Cases have been reported in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Newfoundland and Labrador has confirmed cases linked to snakes and rodents used as feed, but not geckos.

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Individuals affected became sick between March 2020 and February 2024, the federal health agency said in written statements issued Tuesday and Friday. There is one reported death, linked to snakes and rodents but no reported deaths linked to geckos. There have been 15 hospitalizations in total.

In Alberta, the most recent reports indicate two infections linked to geckos and 10 cases linked to snakes and feed rodents, PHAC said.

The outbreak investigation into snakes and rodents began last spring, while the investigation into geckos was initiated March 2024.

“Many of the individuals who became sick reported having direct or indirect contact with geckos, or the environments where these pets are kept, before their illnesses occurred”, PHAC said in a statement. The same was said about snakes and rodents in a separate release.

“Some people who became sick did not touch or handle the geckos themselves, but lived in the same house where they were kept.”

More than half the cases are among females (geckos, 66 per cent; snakes and rodents, 53 per cent). Approximately 20 per cent of the cases are among children under age five.

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How to prevent salmonella infection

PHAC suggests the following preventative measures:

• Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after touching a reptile, rodent or something they eat or after being in the area where they live or play.
• Clean and sanitize any surfaces or objects your reptile or rodent touches.
• Never kiss a reptile or rodent
• Do not keep reptiles or rodents in homes, daycares, schools or other facilities with children under the age of five.
• Always supervise children when they touch or play with reptiles or rodents.
• Keep reptiles, rodents and their food, containers, enclosures, and accessories away from the kitchen or any area where food is made or eaten.
• Where possible, clean enclosures and accessories outside the home. If this is not possible, use a laundry sink or bathtub and thoroughly clean and sanitize afterwards.
• Clean or bath reptiles and rodents in a dedicated plastic bin, not in the kitchen or bathroom sink.
• Be aware of the specific needs of your reptile. Stress for a reptile can increase the shedding of salmonella.
• Always keep reptiles and rodents in habitats specifically designed for them.
• If you choose to have a reptile or rodent in your home, talk to your healthcare provider or veterinarian about the right reptile or rodent for your family, especially if your family includes children five years and younger, pregnant or immunocompromised people or adults 65 years of age and over.

Symptoms of salmonella include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and abdominal cramps, PHAC said. Salmonella can be spread days to weeks after infection. Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact a health-care provider.

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