Human Health Implications of Salmonella-Contaminated Natural Pet Treats and Raw Pet Food

Contact with pets has been identified as a route or risk factor for human salmonellosis in several case reports and studies.

“However, contact with pets has also been identified as a route or a risk factor for human salmonellosis in several case reports and studies (Finley et al. 2006, Domingues et al. 2012, Freeman et al. 2013), indicating that pets which have consumed Salmonella‐contaminated feed also pose an infection risk to owners.”

Researchers sampling raw pet foods from commercial outlets have commonly noted that package warnings about preparation and hygienic handling are absent.

“It has been noted by researchers sampling raw pet foods from commercial outlets that package warnings about preparation and hygienic handling of these pet foods are commonly absent (Finley et al. 2006, Strohmeyer et al. 2006, Mehlenbacher et al. 2012, Bojanic et al. 2017, van Bree et al. 2018) and that packaging may be defective and leaky (Bojanic et al. 2017).”

Pets that have consumed Salmonella-contaminated feed pose an infection risk to owners.

“However, contact with pets has also been identified as a route or a risk factor for human salmonellosis in several case reports and studies (Finley et al. 2006, Domingues et al. 2012, Freeman et al. 2013), indicating that pets which have consumed Salmonella‐contaminated feed also pose an infection risk to owners.”

Human clinical disease associated with exposure to raw-fed pets and their food is likely to occur as sporadic and isolated cases rather than in outbreaks.

“However, human clinical disease associated with exposure to raw‐fed pets and their food is likely to occur as sporadic and isolated cases rather than in outbreaks.”

Such cases typically will not feature prominently, or at all, in public health reports, unless in the context of a wider outbreak.

“Therefore, such cases typically will not feature prominently, or at all, in public health reports (Finley et al. 2006, American Veterinary Medical Association 2012), unless in the context of a wider outbreak (CDC 2018a).”