[Gpdd] Misc: Report from 'the Cavy Doctor' on the recent salmonella scare

Sun Sep 4 18:28:31 EDT 2005

As I mentioned earlier, there is an article in the current issue of JACBA (Journal of the American Cavy Breeders Assoc).  I am taking the liberty of repeating part of the article here without previous permission, hoping they won't mind considering the situation. Also, I would recommend anyone who can join the ACBA - they send out this magazine quarterly, and it always has lots of good information. ARBA also has good information they send out to members, on both rabbits and cavies.

Susi & the OP's

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"THE CAVY DOCTOR  -  Rodents and Salmonella"     by Stacy Pritt, DVM/MBA

"In the last issue of JACBA, I briefly discussed various zoonotic diseases that cavies have the potential for transmitting to humans. Since then, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of the United States has issued several warnings about documented cases of humans infected with Salmonella from pet rodents.  The CDC has also issued specific guidelines and recommendations that are meant to cut an owner's risk from acquiring this bacterial infection from pet rodents.

"The CDC reported in May of this year that 16 human cses (most in children 7 years of age or younger0) of multi-drug resistant Salmonella infecrtions traced to pet hamsters, mice and rats from the end of 2003 to the end of 2004.  These cases were the first to be traced back to pet rodents.  Multi-drug resistant infections are especially scary because normal antibiotics may not work against them.  Previous human cases of Salmonella has also been linked to pet chicks, ducklings, kittens, and hedgehogs.

"Humans with these Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium infections develop abdominal cramps, fever, vomiting and bloody diarrhea.  The rodents in the cases from 2003 and 2004 either had diarrhea and/or died around the time that the infected humans became ill.  These rodents had in several instances been treated with antibiotics by the breeders and/or distributors prior to being put up for sale.  This prophylactic administration of antibiotics is believed (to) have led to the multidrug-characteristic of the Salmonella strain isolated.

"The CDC poublished a fact sheet entitled "Pocket Pets Pose Salmonella Risk" on April 28, 2005.  It can be found at   http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/mediapressrel/fs05428.htm  .  The Fact sheet identifies cavies as a pocket pet and rodent that could serve as a potential source of Salmonella.  The main points of the fact sheet include: Selection criteria for pocket pets.  Owners should not select for purchase pocket pets that appear tired or who have diarrhea, nasal discharge, or other outward signes of disease.  Additionally, if one animal in a group appears sick, other animals are presumed to be potentially exposed to an infectious disease.  When animals die soon after purchase, the supplier should be notified and the cage and areas  sanitized.

Cleaning and sanitation.  It is recognized that washing our hands with soap and water after handling rodents and their cages as well as their waste is the most important thing that can be done to reduce the risk of contracting Salmonella.  Young children should be supervised when handling rodents and should wash their hands accordingly.

Animal handling.  The CDC also recommends that humans should not eat or smoke while handling rodents.  Rodents should not be handled in food preparation areas and they should not be kissed or held close to your mouth.

As a cavy breeder, the information here has several interesting implications. First, the CDC traced all of the sick rodents back to the breeders and/or distributors.  In the cases the CDC reported, the distributors were located in Georgia, Iowa, and Arkansas.  The CDC visited the facility (in) Georgia and performed additional testing that confirmed the presence of multi-drug resistant Salmonella in the environment, shipping cages, food, and bedding.  The CDC is now encouraging veterinarians and small animal breeders to submit specimens to clinical laboratories for Salmonella isolation and identification of substantial diarrhea associated with death and/or clinical disease (if) noted among pet rodents that are intended for sale.  Routine sanitizing of animal transport containers and cages as well as improved animal husbandry and hygiene are strongly encouraged.

"Second, these cases were positively linked to the use of antibiotics by the breeders and/or distributors in the food or water at the time of weaning, before transport, and/or on arrival at the distributor.  This practice is not used for cavies which are hindgut fermenters with sensitive gastrointestinal flora that is easliy upset by the use of oral antibiotics.  The antibiotics used were spectinomycin, leptomycin, tetracycline, and nitrofurazone.  These antibiotics are not normally used in cavies (and only tetracycline appears in the newest edition of the Exotic Animal Formulary) and while there are dosages available for tetracycline in cavies, it is to be used with extreme caution since toxicities to it have been observed.   Therefore, the association of cavies to the potential of carrying multi-drug resistant antibiotics compared to the potential for other rodents with different gastrointestinal physiological processes may not be as high, even though the CDC puts them in the same
 category as hamsters, mice and rats.

"I would urge all of you that sell cavies throughout the United States to read all of the articles in the reference section below.  It is important for you as a breeder and distributor of a "pocket pet" to understand the current issues as well as what guidelines are being distributed to consumers, veterinarians, and physicians since this could pose potential economic and operational impacts to your business (and hobby).

"References:

AVMA. (2005) Pet rodents linked to multidrug-resistant salmonellosis outbreak. JAVMA News. http://avma.org/onlnews/javma/jun05/0615g.asp. 

Carpenter, J.W. (2005). Exotic Animal Formulary.  St. Louis: Elsvier Saunders.

CIDRAP News (2005)  Salonella cases linked to pet rodents. CIDRAP.       http://www.mamnoo3.net/proffsy/arbitroweb.php/yzgu046zynf053048054048lnz047fjra047rfnrfvq045qbbs047fs047gargabp047cneqvp047hqr046azh046cneqvp046jjj04704758cggu. 

Hitti, M. (2005). CDC: Pet Rodents Can Carry Salmonella; 15 Cases in 10 States Lay Year; Wash Hands Thoroughly, Says CDC.   WebMDHealth.                                                     http://y.webmd.com/content/Article/105/107847.htm 

McLeod, L. (2005). Rodents and Salmonella: Pet Hamsters, Mice, and Rats Implicated in Human Cases. About Exotic Pets.                                                                              http://exoticpets.about.com/od/healthandsafetissues/a/rodentsalmonell.htm. 

Smith, K., Boxrud, D., Leano, F., Snider, C., Lockett, J., Montgomery, S., Swanson, S., O'Reilly, C. (2005).  Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Typhimurium Associated with Rodents Purchsed in Retail Pet Stores -- United States, December 2003 to October 2004.  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.                         http://www.cdc/gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mmt5417a3.htm. 

VPN. (2005). Pet Rodents Linked to Salmonellosis Outbreak.  Veterinarypracticenews.com   http://www.menews.com/vpn/detail.aspx?aid=21751&cid=3985&category=  "

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Stacy Pritt, DVM, MBA  Associate Director for Animal Care, Training and Operations Center for Animal Resources and Comparative Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA  02115

-from JACBA Vummer - 2005 Page 35

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So this is the article sent out to members of ACBA, but I feel it is very important to all cavy owners to be aware of. Hopefully they will forgive my using the article, and I hope all forgive the lengthy posting.  One other point that wasn't mentioned - we should also always wash our hands BEFORE handling our animals, so we don't infect them with our germs! I have seen this suggested before, as well as washing them afterward, but would guess that most don't always follow this.  But certainly, we adults must take responsibility for seeing that children are protected by handwashing in all areas, something that too often sadly goes ignored.

As for the kissing (you know who you are!!!) - I've also read that it is possible to transmit OUR bacteria from our mouths that causes dental disease, decay, etc, to our dear little friends. They don't have it otherwise.  Just another something to think about  - practice 'safe kissing'!