Multistate outbreak of Salmonella — and it’s linked to pet hedgehogs, CDC says

Another Salmonella outbreak has hit the U.S., and this time, the likely culprits are pet hedgehogs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Eleven people in eight states have been infected with Salmonella Typhimurium, an outbreak strain connected to pet hedgehogs, as of Jan. 23, the CDC said in an Investigation Notice.

Of those who have been infected, one person has been hospitalized.

Ten of those people reported that they had touched a hedgehog, the CDC said. Those infected range from 2 to 28 years old, with a median age of 12 years old.

Missouri has the most reported cases — three people have become infected with the outbreak strain, followed by Minnesota, where two people have become ill. Colorado, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Texas and Wyoming each have one reported Salmonella Typhimurium case.

The CDC said the Salmonella Typhimurium strain was found in samples from three different hedgehogs in the homes of the two infected people in Minnesota.

“A common supplier of hedgehogs has not been identified,” the CDC said.

The first reported illness started on Oct. 22, 2018, the CDC said, and the most recent illness started Dec. 25, 2018.

“Any illnesses that began after Dec. 27, 2018 may not have been reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported.” It can take two to four weeks for an illness to be reported to the CDC.

Now, the CDC has a warning for anyone who might consider kissing or snuggling one of those prickly little pets: Don’t.

“This can spread Salmonella germs to your face and mouth and make you sick,” the CDC warned.

Even hedgehogs that look clean and healthy can carry Salmonella germs, the CDC says.

People should also wash their hands after touching or feeding a hedgehog, and owners should keep their habitats clean, the CDC said.

Hedgehogs became more popular household pets around 2014, ABC News reported at the time.

“With their pointy noses and porcupine-like quills, the Lilliputian pets have seen a spike in popularity in recent years due in part to the prevalence of websites such as Cute Emergency and Instagram accounts ... that affectionately refer to them as ‘hedgies,’” ABC reported.

Symptoms of the Salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, the CDC said.

“Most people recover without treatment,” the department says, but it can lead to death in rare cases.

This story was originally published January 28, 2019 at 8:58 AM.