Outbreak of Rare Salmonella Strain Linked to Pet Bearded Dragons

A biology professor says there is always a disease risk with pet reptiles, but cats can also transmit potentially-dangerous illnesses to people.

Photos of Matilda, a bearded dragon that was kept in Terry Pinkstaff's science classroom at Dinsmore Elementary School in Jacksonville, Fla. Courtesy of Terry Pinkstaff

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.