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. 2025 Oct;31(10):1912-1921.
doi: 10.3201/eid3110.241803.

Reptile Exposure in Human Salmonellosis Cases and Salmonella Serotypes Isolated from Reptiles, Ontario, Canada, 2015-2022

Katherine Paphitis, Alexandra Reid, Hannah R Golightly, Janica A Adams, Antoine Corbeil, Anna Majury, Allana Murphy, Heather McClinchey

Reptile Exposure in Human Salmonellosis Cases and Salmonella Serotypes Isolated from Reptiles, Ontario, Canada, 2015-2022

Katherine Paphitis et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2025 Oct.

Abstract

Reptile-associated outbreaks of human Salmonella infections are increasing in Canada, coinciding with a rise in the popularity of reptiles as pets. We conducted a retrospective analysis of surveillance data for human Salmonella case-patients in Ontario during 2015-2022. We compared serotypes and reptile types for those reporting domestic reptile or amphibian exposure with veterinary Salmonella isolates reported during the same period. Case-patients commonly reported contact with reptile types from which Salmonella was most frequently isolated. Some serotypes from human case-patients were closely associated with contact with specific reptile types, including Salmonella Paratyphi B biovar Java (Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L (+) tartrate +) with snakes, Salmonella Agbeni with turtles, and Salmonella Cotham, Salmonella Chester, and Salmonella Tennessee with bearded dragons. Salmonella was most likely to be reported from reptiles fed a carnivorous diet. Education of reptile owners could help promote proper veterinary care and reduce transmission of zoonotic infections VSports手机版. .

Keywords: Canada; animal salmonella infections; bacteria; disease outbreaks; public health surveillance; reptiles; salmonella; salmonellosis; zoonoses V体育安卓版. .

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Age distribution of confirmed and probable sporadic locally acquired human salmonellosis case-patients who reported reptile or amphibian contact, by reptile type (n = 513), in study of reptile exposure among human cases and Salmonella serotypes isolated from reptiles, Ontario, Canada, 2015–2022. Reptile types reported by each case-patient were not mutually exclusive; thus, a case might be reported under >1 reptile type. The proportion of case-patients by age group is presented separately for each reptile type (i.e., percentages by age group for each reptile type sum to 100%).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Major taxonomic grouping of reptile or amphibian contact reported by sporadic locally acquired salmonellosis cases by reported Salmonella serotype for human case-patients (n = 513) in study of reptile exposure among human salmonellosis cases and Salmonella serotypes isolated from reptiles, Ontario, Canada, 2015–2022. Reptile species were not mutually exclusive (i.e., some case-patients reported contact with >1 species); thus, reptile species counts may sum to more than the number of cases reported for each serotype over the study period.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Major taxonomic grouping and diet of reptiles from which Salmonella was detected and reported to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness by veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Ontario, by reported Salmonella serotype, in study of reptile exposure among human salmonellosis cases and Salmonella serotypes isolated from reptiles, Ontario, Canada, 2015–2022.
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