ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of Salmonella cases in children aged <5â years that were reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS) and to compare the severity of illness. DESIGN: To analyse all cases of salmonellosis reported to public health authorities in children aged under 5â years in the South West of the UK from January 2010 to December 2013 for reptile exposure, age, serotype, hospitalisation and invasive disease. RESULTS: 48 of 175 (27%) Salmonella cases had exposure to reptiles. The median age of RAS cases was significantly lower than non-RAS cases (0.5 vs 1.0 year). RAS cases were 2.5 times more likely to be hospitalised (23/48) compared with non-RAS cases (25/127; p=0.0002). This trend continued in cases aged under 12â months, with significantly more RAS cases hospitalised (19/38) than non-RAS cases (8/42; p=0.003). Significantly more RAS cases had invasive disease (8/48: 5 bacteraemia, 2 meningitis, 1 colitis) than non-RAS cases (4/127: 3 bacteraemia, 1 meningitis). CONCLUSIONS: Reptile exposure was found in over a quarter of all reported Salmonella cases in children under 5â years of age. RAS is associated with young age, hospitalisation and invasive disease.