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July 20th, 2011
10:53 AM ET
Water frogs linked to illness in young kidsFrogs might be cute to look at but they might be hazardous to your children's health, which is why The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning parents to keep young kids away from water frogs and their habitats. At least 241 people in the United States were sickened after being infected with Salmonella from African dwarf frogs. More than two-thirds of the ill were under age 10, and 30 percent of those infected were hospitalized, according to the CDC. Health officials say these frogs are not safe pets for children under 5 years old. "People need to be aware that these water frogs as well as other amphibians and reptiles can carry salmonella that can make people sick," says Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, an epidemiologist at the CDC. "In this particular outbreak there is a unique strain that has been linked with African frogs associated with a single facility," she adds. Blue Lobster Farms, a frog breeding facility in Madera County, California, has been linked to the outbreak, according to the CDC. The company is breeds the majority of African dwarf frogs sold in the United States. The facility voluntarily stopped shipping the frogs in April after 222 people in 41 states were reportedly infected with Salmonella, according to the CDC. In June the company resumed shipments. Since then several more people have been sickened. "Health care officials at the Madera County Department of Environmental Health are working with the owner of Blue Lobster Farms to conduct interventions as well as ongoing investigations," says Behravesh. But she adds, "We aren't sure if they are effective. We do know reports with this specific outbreak strain are ongoing." These frogs are usually found in home aquariums or fish tanks and are commonly sold throughout the United States in pet stores, toy stores, novelty stores, the Internet, fairs and carnivals, but Behravesh says "any frog or ther amphibian is a potential risk for Salmonella." Most of the victims have been children under 5 years old, some of whom were hospitalized according to the CDC. Salmonella can cause life-threatening illnesses and hospitalizations, particularly in children, elderly and immune-suppressed people such as cancer patients. Behravesh says "with school starting soon it's important for teachers to be aware and consider the age of children in their classroom to decide if an animal is appropriate," before putting children at risk. The CDC recommends thorough hand washing after contact with frogs. But it goes further than that because water from the aquarium can be contaminated, so it's recommended to clean their tanks outside of the home to avoid contaminating surfaces inside the house. Parents need to remember that other amphibians and reptiles such as turtles can also spread Salmonella. Follow@CNNHealth on Twitter. soundoff (965 Responses)1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Next »Leave a Reply to Listy do M rapidshare
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
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"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning parents to keep young kids away from water frogs and their habitats."
Does this apply to some degree to kids swimming in lakes or walking through areas where frogs are?
Seems to be just this one type of frog – but is this a general concern?
you need to learn to read better...
no. salminola outbreaks like this are generally due to small confined breeding facilities. while they are very diligent about this and other similar problems, as an entire facility can be rendered dead in no time and that is a huge loss.
I would think it would be prudent to let parents know to have their kids wash their hands after contact with these animals, and be very careful abut letting smaller childern touch them at all. It seems to me that the age group that the artical is talking about is the same age group that has a direct hand to mouth assosiation with everything they come in contact with, its part of their growing up. Frogs, turttles (I have 16 of them) and other reptiles are covered with salmonella, so its a good practice even for healthy people to wash up after touchin/handling them.
Frogs are bad. m'kay Why is swimming with fish poop not as bad as kissing frogs?
Fried frog legs: cut off the legs at the hip, retaining as much of the back muscle as possible. Skin the leg with one quick snap and cut off the foot. Dip in an egg and Tobasco sauce batter with a little salt. Place in a paper bag of flour and shake until well coated. Submerge in heated deep fat and fry until light golden brown. Serve hot... tastes nasty if cold. Drink beer to chase.
I think it's a general concern since they say any amphibian can carry samonella, but it's just that one facility, the rivers and lakes should be OK.
The southern half of the Great Central Valley in CA (San Joaquin) is just one big bowl of toxic soup from agribuiness so I"m not suprised. I spent a year in nearby Modesto back in 2008 and the air absolutlely stinks a good deal of the time from various chemicals and cow poo floating around, that's what gives people Valley Fever.
The reason young kids are the biggest risk is that they are more likely to infect themselves with sticking their hands in their mouths without washing them after handling the frogs and so on.
we must kill all the frogs. it's all about the kids after all.
Hodor!
For Great Justice!
Winter is coming!
a standard practice is to rince the new fish or animals with declorinated same temp water. by quarentining the new additions for 3 hours so they can aclimate to the new tank, rinse with clean declorinated water again. before placing in the tank. particulary if crabs or amphibians are added. this generally will keep things healthy.
yes you stupid american listen to the what the cdc says as well as any other gov funded org . stay insode watch dancing withte stars as it is too dangerous now to even be outside with nature us frogs are coming for you. your gov cares and wants what is best for your health. dont worry abouthte debt ceiling or we are bankrupt worry about hte frogs !!! we are coming for your kidss ahahhahahah. ribbet
At least stop licking your frog
Hey Kermit, go hop out on the road more....
It won't have everything it needs. One of it's nueeiremqrts is space. Mine takes up every bit of her 20G. They are very active and they get big. If you want to keep your 10G get a pacman.References :
All of these Animal Flingshot toys from Playmaker are highly etiertanning (especially firing them over the cubicle walls at work). We had trouble picking just one. The frog was a favorite as the two arms make it perfect for aim, pull, and fling at your target. The sounds upon impact are enough to scare the unsuspecting. This puts a smile on your face every time!
Nothing nastier than freakin turtles.
Turtles are great pets...but they are look at only. I will agree that they are the nastiest pet to clean up after in our home. We also house our tank outside...
Uh huh...CHICKENS!!! wait, they're feathered reptiles, nasty...but tastey!
This is just recent frogs right? We have one we have had for almost two years....
No, any pet amphibian or reptile under 6" can carry (and probably does carry) at least a little salmonella or other bacteria you wouldn't want. Just wash your hands afterwards and try not to touch them anyway (they don't like it) and you'll be fine.
this outbreak has been ongoing since 2009 and possible even 2008, so frogs from the last 2 years could be a risk. get more info at http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella
These are LOOK at pets, not PLAY WITH ME pets. How can a child get Salmonella if they're not touching them? Maybe the parents need to be thoroughly educated about ANY animal BEFORE they leave the pet store with it.
my friends baby got it and the doctor said it was probably because she washed the tank out in the sink and something of the babies might have touched it. She said she washed the sink out after cleaning the tank but must not have been good enough. The baby was really sink and was only a few weeks old.
Maybe Colleen's friend had it under her fingernails and didn't realize it, or it could have gotten into the sponges and transferred that way. Sponges are not allowed in my kitchen. Ever! I use those balls of gathered tutu net for scrubbing, they dry out properly afterwards adn don't harbor nearly as many germs. I would rather put my hands in the toilet than touch a used kitchen sponge.
By the name Blue Lobster Farm, I assume they also farm lobster & possibly other edible water animals. If these infected frogs are kept in the same water as the lobster, wouldnt they be infected too? That could be bad news for crustacean lovers. I'm again assuming the lobster are not sold as pets! I will alert my sis about frogs, her kids like to catch & handle small 1s!!
Blue lobsters are very small, too small for a meal. They are for home aquariums.
Do you think they breed them in the same tanks? Did you just get off the bus from moron land or what? Seriously – do like 5 seconds of research before you post. That way you aren't exposing the rest of us to your stupidity.
Do you know how many centuries – or even millenia – that children have been catching slimy things to play with? This really isn't a big scary thing. While I'm not saying salmonella is nothing, we tend to get worked up over too many things these days.
Good god, could this reporting be any more freaking irresponsible? These are PET frogs, purchased in STORES, *NOT* the frogs you find in the local pond or stream. Additionally, as Sindel points out, there needs to be some f–king education to the purchaser on the part of the store. If not, then they have a shared responsibility for the outbreaks.
Calm down...go stroke the furry wall...breath...and exhale.
So, I guess it's ok to lick pond frogs and drink frog pond p?
Okay, for anyone who has amphibians or reptiles, this is common sense. Why don't we also mention that most mammals can carry salmonella too? If you take proper care of any animal, it won't make anyone sick, plain and simple. I have taken bearded dragons into classrooms for years and never once had an issue. Why? Because their cage is constantly cleaned, no kissing of the reptiles, and anti-bacterial soap in the room.
Good start. Those scissors will get you going. Lets see, Jill, Sis LeBeau, Dianne, iiefshnd for sure. I forget who else. My top is ready to quilt. I think Roberta iiefshnd hers as well. So keep chugging.
Most frogs shouldn't be hleadnd very often as they "breathe" through their skin (they also absorb their water this way rather than drinking it) and have oils and such that your hands will strip from their skins. I have never had a whites tree frog, but I know mine sure try to get away when you hold them!!! Firebellied toads will tolerate being hleadnd fairly well, as well as barking tree frogs (though they will jump after a while) and if you handle ANY amphibian, make sure that you wash your hands VERY well (being very careful to rinse off ALL the soap) and handle them with your hands WET. I did a tiny bit of reading, and as long as you follow the suggestions above and the frog will let you hold it, it really depends on the frog and it's personality. Alot of people seem to think that all animals of a species/type are all the same, but they have personalities just like people do. If it like to be held, it likes to be held, if it doesn't, it doesn't. It really is trial and error. Though if you have a safe room to handle the frog in in case it jumps (NO cats, NO dogs, preferably tile rather than carpet (carpet fibers can kill a frog, I have seen it happen ALOT when frogs used to get in our house from outside), you may be able to accustom even a skittish frog to being hleadnd. Good Luck and have fun!!!References : 5 yrs herp experience
There is not as much to worry about with wild reptiles and amphibians. The reason many turtles spread salmonella as pets is they are swimming in their own filth unless the owner has a very good filtration system. Same goes with these frogs. Like Sindel said, they are "look at" pets. I'm just worried that anyone who owns one will now dump it into the wild where released pets can cause more damage than a small salmonella outbreak.
That is my concern too. Pet stores take terrible care of animals. If you are going to get a reptile or amphibian, get it from a knowledgeable breeder. They are in a clean environments and they will send you lots of care information.
Uhhh Skip Berne needs to consult a dictionary the next time he comments on something. HORRIBLE SPELLER.
Or you could just "skip" him...
boy you peple are retarded -good thing you get yuour news from cnn
So why are you on CNN yourself???
I have one of those frogs from last years OC Fair and I was planning on getting one this year so he can have a friend.....but now im not so sure if i should.
My daughter almost dies from salmonella in 2009. It caused sub-acute bacterial endocarditis. It was found ot be linked to frogs. We have learned from that experience, after all we live in MI, and she was playing with frogs in out year. You are an idiot if you think that only these one type of frogs carry it,
After what you just typed, you shouldn't be calling anyone an idiot.
Just in from FrogNN:" Several frogs have fallen ill after playing with young humans. The infection, termed humanellosis can be lethal. Frogs are cautioned to avoid human infested environments."
Does the term "water frog" differentiate a category of Salmonella-infected animals from, say, "air frogs", "desert frogs", "ice frogs", "fire frogs", etc., which are not Salmonella-infected? If not, why is the word "water" used repeatedly in this article, did I miss something?
I understood that most if not all frogs entered water at least at some point in their lives; even wood frogs do so. I'm not trying to be snarky (it comes naturally), I'd really like to know and I don't claim to be a frog expert.
Well the picture is of an african clawed frog, a common aquarium specimen. They may refer to it as a "water frog" because it is mostly aquatic, and does not venture onto land as much as most north american species that we're more familiar with, despite the fact that they too spend much of their lives in water. The more aquatic nature of this frog doesn't really make it a more likely carrier of salmonella.
@Josh H
The frog pictured is an African Dwarf Frog. The African Clawed Frogs have eyes that are closer together at the tops of their heads (as opposed to the sides like on ADFs) and they generally have more rounded bodies and legs.
Amazing to me that my 8 siblings & I managed to survive childhood. Every day there's a new warning about something we used to do that is now considered life-threatening. We played with frogs, turtles, etc all the time, splashed in muddy ponds & lakes & creeks, and were rarely sick in any fashion.
It's not a 100% thing. I did all the same things, and even licked a toad to prove a point once or twice. Never got sick. But that's not to say there isn't a danger. It's not a huge danger... but certainly possible. Some parents will wring their hands for the next ten years over it, some will just take it in stride. I think the second is the healthier option.
All aquatic amphibians and reptiles have the potential to harbor salmonella. This is not an issue if you remember that these animals are... animals. The danger lies in reptile-to-mouth contact, so wash you hands immediately after exposing them to the animal or it's environment, and you're fine. The rash of children getting ill in the early 70's led to the 1975 "four inch law", which stands today, stating that no turtle under 4" could be sold for other than scientific or educational purposes. The reality is, it wasn't small children and small turtles that were the issue. It was that small turtles were easier to fit into the mouth, and children were more likely to do it. If an adult male licked an adult turtle, he would be just as likely to get salmonella.
Things haven't changed. These animals will always have a chance of harboring harmful bacteria. The responsibility falls upon the keepers of these animals to educate themselves for the safety of themselves and their families.
Its really sad that we refer to any life on this planet as a "shipment", "product" etc. These frogs sit in tiny plastic aquariums with no running air or anything. They sit on shelves and in Boxes being shipped around the country waiting to be bought. They have done the same thing with Beta fish at one point both of these were sold at walmart. It is not right to treat life as a product. It disgusts me the disregard in this country for life. The animals that are ran over everyday so someone can get their latte before work. If it was a dog or baby they would stop but any other animal including cats, its oh well its in my way, squish!
they are flippin animals....man....so to avoid a skunk or squirrel i should plow my car into oncoming traffic or a telephone pole, potentially maiming or killing others or myself...to save an animal....ITS AN ANIMAL....now...that said...i don't go out of my way to hit living things on the road with my car, but if it is my life vs an animals life...sorry teh animal loses everytime.
It's possible that some of these infected frogs have been left free and have nested in "city holding ponds" or small streams.
Children should be warned and be cautious of catching these cute animals because of their carried salmonella.
DUH!!! Anyone who has done even the most basic research into reptiles and amphibians knows that you must wash your hands after handling them and their equipment. This is nothing new, just ignorance. You have a similar issue with raw poultry. Typical sensationalism.
Are these the kind of frogs that swim in ponds or the kinds that people have as pets in tanks at home?
And.... yes, do not drink frog water nor lick your frogs.......
water frogs ? what ? are there space , rock , hotdog ... frogs too ? whatever .... i grew up as a toad [ similar no ?! ] have now warts i will admit to but as a tadpole [ a little tad ...] was oblivious to people attacking me because of the color , texture or flavor of my skin ! frogs are people too . so leave my people alone .
I love you man
Everyone hide your kids! Hide your wife! Them frogs out there am making everyone sick!
The article "Why you should love germs," posted July 4, is still visible in the "Living Well" section. CNN, and most of the other news media, have gone beyond ridiculous in their yo-yo reporting habits. Salt bad, salt okay, salt bad... ad nauseum. Same with germs.
I wonder how many of the kids who got sick are actually "victims" of over-zealous mothers who, due to all of the hysteria spread via the "news" media, are over-cleaning their homes and children. Bleach and anti-bacterials are in, seemingly, everything. Even computer keyboards, mice, etc have the stuff in them, when washing grimy hands, keyboards, mice, etc, with plain, non-antibacterial soap and water is just as effective, but without the environmental and human health costs.
Growing up, I got in the dirt; played with all sorts of creatures (dogs, cats, pet birds, chickens, cattle, lizards, tarantulas in the wild, etc); cleaned up after many of those animals; and killed and cleaned chickens, and wild birds and rabbits. Hands in dirt, then in mouth–no big deal. I swam in ponds, walked in marshes. OMG! I ate fresh-made RAW cookie dough–with eggs! No one washed fruits and veggies much. We only washed with non-antibacterial soaps (I think the disinfectant soaps really only existed for medical uses in the '70's and '80's). I like my meat on the rare side. I'm sure I could think of more "germ-nasties" if I tried.
Through all of it, not once have I had any noticeable infection from any of it. Nor did I tend to come down with colds and flus. I did have some allergy issues, though we now know that most of those tend to clear as the immune system matures, and mine cleared sometime between 17 and 18. My allergies got worse after I moved, got busier, and no longer had as much time to do "kid stuff" and get dirty.
Pay less heed to this article, more to the OTHER CNN article, relax, and don't worry about it too much. Kids have survived much worse than handling frogs!
i play with frogs all the time..i have NEVER gotten sick!!!
I have 3 pet frogs but was smart enough to do the research on my new pets so I could care for them properly-in the course of some pretty simple research I discovered that all reptiles and amphibians can be salmonella carriers-a good quality hand sanitizer became part of the things that go with frog maintenance-if one is going to have "exotic" pets educate yourself or don't have them-pet ownership requires responsibility whether they are dogs,cats,snakes,birds,fish or frogs
oh and for the goofballs- use the hand sanitizer on your hands,not the frogs-after you've handled them not before
The CDC recommends hand washing – what do they recommend about an unwanted and out-of-control nuclear industry?
Every time I have purchased these frogs from a pet store ( and I have had several through the years), I have had to sign a waiver that explains the risk of salmonella. So customers are aware, but do not input the risk into their heads. "Blue Lobsters" are actually freshwater crayfish. They don't get very big and are only for aquarium's. They use the word "Lobster" only for theatrics. It sells better then Crayfish. Also, for the Aquariumist, there is a risk of "Fish TB" (tuburculosis) . This should also be looked into. do not stick your hands or arms with an open wound into your aquarium!!
I KNEW it was those damn frogs! You can't trust them!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Frogs won't kill u....chill
Hello Mrs Yollis,It was great to hear from you again.You asked about the noise that the frogs make the frogs that we find on our verandah seem to be sinelt except when our cat is playing with them. Then the frog being played with makes a high pitched squealing noise. It is really terrible.I loved hearing about and looking at the picture of the lizards that you get in your backyard. The lizard is quite different to any that I have seen here in Australia. I have never heard of a blue-belly lizard. In Australia, we have a group of lizards that are know as blue-tongues. Can you guess why they are called this?fromMrs W.
My newborn son was stricken by Infant Botulism Type E. It was the first reported case in Ireland and after much investigation the source of the disease was found to be our pet turtles. As a result of this finding, the Health Service Executive here issued a statement similar to the one the CDC have just released, stating that reptiles are not suitable pets for households with young children. My son only survived because he was quickly put on a ventilator and given BabyBIG, an anti-toxin produced by the California Dept of Public Health. Please be really careful about having your babies anywhere near reptiles or amphibians, especially if they are less than two years old. My son is seven months old now and doing great in case you're wondering!
This article's headline is bogus! No reports indicate ANY frogs currently being sold, has Salmonella. This is a smear against a company who produces virtually ALL the African Dwarf Frogs in this country. This article is also making a mountain out of a molehill. The CDC has only 241 cases reported IN THREE Years! And of those, ONLY 30% requires more than some Pepto-Bismol. Do the Math... 240 cases / 3 years = 80 cases per year. 30% of 80 = ONLY 24 CASES REQUIRING a Doctor visit! ONLY 24 cases A YEAR! ...in other words, 2 cases a month NATIONWIDE.
Taken in context, around a MILLION African Dwarf Frogs are sold nationwide EACH YEAR.
Compare that to all the cases of serious Salmonella poisioning from poorly prepared beef, pork, & chicken consumption, poor sanitary conditions, unwashed vegetables, unclean living conditions. The odds of catching Salmonella from an aquatic animal like a African Dwarf Frog is very, very, VERY, extreme.
QUIT PICKING ON THESE FROGS!
No one ever mentions that the African Dwarf Frog Species, originally from a small region in West Africa, NO LONGER HAS A NATURAL HABITAT! The rainforest this frog is from has been de-forested, the land turned into farmland. Biologists have not seen the species there IN TEN YEARS. The African Dwarf Frog exists solely now because of Fish farms like Blue Lobster Farms for the Pet trade. I bet some animal rights people haven't considered the fate of this animal in that light.
It's ironic that Man has destroyed this animals natural home, now Man is whipping up hysteria over miniscule numbers that can lead to the demise of a industry that is keeping it alive. C'Mon! Investigate THAT! Report That!
Wash your hands WITH SOAP after handling ANY amphibian, small children should never handle ANY living creature without adult supervision, the African Dwarf Frog is AQUATIC... like a fish it DIES out of water. Don't handle it. Period. USE COMMON SENSE.
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