Visitor behaviour and public health implications associated with exotic pet markets: an observational study

Warwick, Clifford; Arena, Phillip C; Steedman, Catrina

Human health is reportedly a key concern at pet markets due to the attendance of the public, and because many animals are likely to harbour transmissible zoonotic pathogens. 1, 2 Zoonotic diseases are pathogenic infections and infestations transmissible from animals to humans. There are around 200 zoonoses 3 and approximately 40 of these are associated with amphibians and reptiles (for examples, see Appendices A and B). Captive reptiles are routinely identified as reservoirs of infectious bacteria, for example, Salmonella, 4 and all reptiles should be presumed to harbour Salmonella. 1,5 -8 In 2009, a case-control study in the UK indicated that reptile keepers were nearly 17 times more likely to get sick than those who had no contact with these animals. 9 A limited study of seven door handles at a major pet market in Germany in 2010 revealed the presence of two distinct species of Salmonella, S. ramatgan and S. subspecies V (N Kutscher, personal communication, 2011), both of which are reptile-associated.