Outbreak of Rare Salmonella Strain Linked to Pet Bearded Dragons

Two infants and a dozen other people became ill from a rare strain of salmonella bacteria that was linked to pet bearded dragons, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The incidents, which occurred in the United States and Canada in 2021 and 2022, were linked to a particular strain of the bacteria known as salmonella vitkin. Two Canadian infants were sickened by the bacteria four weeks apart in 2022, and researchers linked both to the families’ pet bearded dragons. Twelve other cases were found in the United States between March 2021 and September 2022, with eight patients also under 1 year of age. Five of these patients were hospitalized, but no deaths occurred in either country....