Tuesday 24 April 2012

Salmonella, Hamsters, and Other Animals

A relative of ours is currently recovering from a fairly evil and degraded salmonella infection. We take this opportunity to, yet again, rant about the importance of hand hygiene, in an insufferably smug and repulsive manner.


Look at the salmonella bacteria frolicking!
Picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SalmonellaNIAID.jpg
 Let us quote the Ehow website at you:

"Salmonella bacteria live in the intestinal tracts of animals and humans and are spread by contamination from feces. Salmonella can lie dormant on a surface for over a year - then 'wake up' when food comes into contact with it.
(...) Salmonella can spread from person to person when someone with salmonella neglects proper hand-washing, and from animal to human by contact with an animal infected with salmonella. Dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, fish, hamsters and farm animals can be carriers of salmonella, and handling infected animals, their feces or anything contaminated with their feces can spread salmonella.
Proper hand-washing is the first line of defence in preventing salmonella illness. Wash hands thoroughly after toileting or handling animals or any surface that comes into contact with them. Wash hands before handling food-, drink- or smoking materials. Wash hands after handling raw meats or eggs."

Hygeia says, "Hear, hear!"

Read about how to wash hands properly here, here, here and here.
Be careful with hamsters.

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