The National Infection Service of Public Health England (PHE) is investigating a number of cases of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella Enteritidis PT8 linked to exposure to reptiles, in particular snakes. As at 29 September 2015, 70 cases of S. Enteritidis PT8 had been identified across England since the start of the year.
There are four cases in Scotland this year which are believed to be of the same strain.
The risk of Salmonella infection for those handling reptiles is well established and the raw or frozen mice used as snake feed are thought to be the principle route of disease transmission in the current outbreak.A reptile-associated outbreak involving a different Salmonella strain was investigated in 2009 when such ‘feeder mice’ were found to have been the source of infection (see also Current note 43/3201 at http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/ewr/redirect.aspx?id=42253).
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