I have Salmonella

The age-old question: Why don't reptile breeders get salmonella? Well, now you can all say you know someone who does. I'll tell my story as short as possible, but I think it's something you all should know.

********Warning: This is gonna get gross****************

After having diarrhea 15-20 times per day for two weeks, I relented and had a culture done. Positive for Giardia, and Salmonella. The timeline for the giardia traced it to my June trip to the islands. Curing it was easy, an antibiotic called Flagyl. Salmonella, not so easy to kill. They gave me Cipro, a wide-spectrum antibiotic. The next day, the health department called and asked a million questions. They believe it came from the current 20-state outbreak of salmonella from cantaloupes. Yes, they asked about reptiles, and no, they didn't think it was an issue, unless I am consuming their feces.

Three days later, I run to the bathroom assuming the runs had returned, sat down and nearly bled to death. Went to the ER, pooped/bled in a cup, and was positive for Clostrium Difficile (C-diff). Salmonella and giardia are gone.
How do you get c-diff? It lies dormant in most people's intestines, kept at bay by good bacteria. Unfortunately, the Cipro that killed the salmonella, also killed the good bacteria. Turns out, in an otherwise healthly adult, salmonella runs it's course in a week or less. The treatment can kill you. If the bleeding doesn't stop and you need surgery for c-diff, the survival rate is 50%.

So, friends, while we're all wallowing in salmonella infested animals, should you ever get sick, ask a lot of questions before being treated. Sometimes it's better not to.


Noelle

That had to be terrible.

Noelle, I hope you are feeling better.

Thanks Bill and Lucille. It'll be a long road, but prospects are good.



Noelle

I can't even imagine how miserable you must feel right now.

Sending positive thoughts!

Thanks Shadera!

Noelle

I can't imagine just how horrible that has to be, Noelle!

I bought a honeydew and a cantaloupe just last Tuesday night after work and cut up both melons for our breakfast. My son and I ate some of each on Wed & Thurs mornings. I threw the remainder away yesterday after I heard a news story about the contamination.

Please rest well and take good care of yourself.

Thanks, Laura. Yeah they're telling everyone in Kentucky and Indiana to immediately throw out their cantaloupe, but they haven't named the other 18 states that I'm aware of. The salmonella made me ill, but it was absolutely nothing compared to c-diff. Glad you threw yours out. I can't imagine anyone's child going through this.

Noelle

Wow, what an ordeal you've been through. So the giardia was contracted on a trip out of the country, maybe from the drinking water ? An acquaintance of mine came back from a vacation [ Mexico I think] and had giardia.

I hope you recover well, must have been very draining. Take care !

Thanks for your good wishes! Yes, Giardia is considered water-bourne, I was in the Turks and Caicos Islands, but it's pretty rampant throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. Most places have safe drinking water nowdays, but swimming pools are another main source. Giardia is chlorine resistant, and you only have to swallow a single cyst (which is a cell). The effects last about 3-4 weeks. Salmonella is considered food-bourne, and requires you to ingest quite a bit more, then lasts only 3-7 days. It was the 'easiest' of the 3 bugs.

Noelle