At least 15 people across nine states, including New York, were sickened by a salmonella illness linked to bearded dragons, according to the CDC.
The CDC said four people have been hospitalized in the multi-state outbreak. The majority of people who faced the illness were children under five years old, the CDC said.
Symptoms of salmonella can include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
The CDC said people handing bearded dragons or their habitats should always wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, and warned against kissing or snuggling a bearded dragon. Health officials said to avoid eating and drinking around the reptiles too and keeping them away from spaces where young children eat or play.
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Bearded dragons are not recommended for families with children younger than five-years-old, people 65 years of age and older, or people with a weakened immune system, according to the CDC, which said people in those categories are more susceptible to illnesses from reptiles.
Four people have been sickened in New York. Other states impacted are: California, Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina. Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.
