18 confirmed salmonella cases linked to geckos reported in Ontario

Ontario has 18 confirmed cases of salmonella infections linked to exposure to geckos, the federal public health agency says.

In a notice issued on Friday, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said it was investigating an outbreak of "Salmonella lome" illness after 35 cases have been reported in seven provinces so far.

"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," the public health notice reads.

Ontario has the most cases, followed by Quebec with eight. British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba each have two cases, while New Brunswick has reported one case.

PHAC said the individuals became sick between March 2020 and January 2024 and five of them have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported in relation to the outbreak.

Of the cases, seven are children five years of age or younger.

"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," the agency said.

PHAC noted that some of the people who have been infected did not touch or handle the geckos but lived in the same residence where they were kept.

"Salmonella with the same outbreak strain was found in a gecko habitat from the home of an ill individual," the health agency said.

"These outbreaks highlight the important role that reptile owners and business operators can play in preventing new illnesses linked to these types of pets."

According to PHAC, most reptiles carry salmonella naturally in their intestinal guts, where it lives without making them sick. That's why it says reptiles could pass the bacteria from their droppings into their environments, contaminating their bodies, enclosures, and wherever they roam.

PHAC said symptoms usually start six to 72 hours after exposure and could last for four to seven days. They include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and abdominal cramps. While most cases will fully recover after a few days without treatment, the agency warned that it can also lead to severe illness and hospitalization.

"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," the agency said, adding that the bacteria can spread by person-to-person contact and through contact with contaminated surfaces.

Earlier this week, PHAC also issued a public health notice about a salmonella outbreak connected to snakes and feeder rodents.

As of March 19, 70 confirmed cases of "Salmonella typhimurium" illness have been reported, with 32 in Ontario.

The individuals became sick between Feb. 2022 and Feb. 2024. PHAC said 10 had been hospitalized, and one person had been confirmed to have died because of salmonella.

"A single common supplier of snakes or feeder rodents has not been identified. The outbreak is a reminder that Salmonella bacteria can be found in many species of animals, including snakes and feeder rodents," PHAC said in its March 19 notice.

Here are some tips from the federal agency on how to prevent direct or indirect spread of salmonella: