The federal public health agency has revealed that Ontario has 18 confirmed cases of salmonella infections linked to contact with geckos.
In a notice issued recently, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) revealed it was investigating an outbreak of “Salmonella lome” illness after 35 cases have so far been reported in seven provinces.
The public health notice read: “Based on investigation findings to date, exposure to geckos has been identified as a likely source of the outbreak. 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.”
Ontario has 18 cases, Quebec has eight. British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have two cases each while New Brunswick has reported one case.
PHAC said the individuals took ill between March 2020 and January 2024 and five of them have been hospitalized. Nobody has died in relation to the outbreak.
PHAC said: “Using a laboratory method called whole genome sequencing, it was determined that some salmonella illnesses dating back to 2020 were caused by the same outbreak strain as the illnesses that occurred in 2024.”
PHAC stated that some of the infected people did not touch or handle the geckos but lived in the same residence where the geckos were kept.
PHAC said: “Salmonella with the same outbreak strain was found in a gecko habitat from the home of an ill individual.
“These outbreaks highlight the important role that reptile owners and business operators can play in preventing new illnesses linked to these types of pets.”
PHAC added that most reptiles carry salmonella naturally in their intestinal guts, where it lives without affecting them. That’s why reptiles could transmit the bacteria from their droppings into their environments, contaminating their bodies and wherever they roam.
According to PHAC, symptoms usually begin six to 72 hours after exposure and could last for four to seven days. These symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, and abdominal cramps. The agency warned that though most cases will fully recover after a few days without treatment, it can also lead to severe illness and hospitalization.
The agency said: “People who are infected with Salmonella bacteria can spread Salmonella to other people several days to several weeks after they have become infected, even if they don’t have symptoms.”
