Office of Communicable Diseases

Salmonellosis

Salmonella Infection and Animals

What is salmonella infection?

Salmonella infection is a bacterial disease. There are many different kinds of Salmonella that can make people sick. Most people have diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain that start 1 to 3 days after they get infected. These symptoms usually go away after 1 week. Sometimes, people have to see a doctor or go to the hospital because the diarrhea is severe or the infection has affected other organs.

Can animals transmit salmonella infection to me?

Yes! Many kinds of animals can pass salmonella infection to people. Usually, people get salmonella infection by eating contaminated food, like chicken or eggs. However, animals can carry Salmonella and pass it in their droppings. Therefore, people can also get salmonella infection if they do not wash their hands after touching animal droppings. Reptiles (lizards, snakes, and turtles), baby chickens, and baby ducks are especially likely to pass salmonella infection to people. Dogs, cats, birds (even pet birds), horses, and farm animals can also pass Salmonella in their droppings.

Some people are more likely than others to get salmonella infection. These people include infants, children age 5 or younger, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS, and people receiving treatment for cancer.

How can I protect myself from salmonella infection?

• Wash your hands with soap and warm water after you have touched animal droppings, after touching a reptile or after you have touched a surface that a reptile has also touched.
• Avoid washing pet animal cages in the kitchen and thoroughly wash all surfaces that animal droppings may have touched.
• If you have a weakened immune system, avoid contact with reptiles, baby chickens and baby ducks.
• If you have a weakened immune system, be extra careful when visiting farms or touching farm animals. (This includes animals at petting zoos.)
• Since the risk of serious salmonella infection is very high for infants, you should not have a pet reptile in the house where there are also infants.

How can I find out more about salmonella infection?

To learn more about salmonella infection, visit HEALTH’s  Salmonellosis webpage or the Centers for Disease Prevention & Control (CDC)