From: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/dry-pet-food-linked-salmonella-children/story?id=11344300
By LARA SALAHI, ABC News Medical Unit
Many of us consider our pet cats and dogs so much a part of the family that we share everything from couch space to kitchen space. It seems the spaces we share may harbor bacteria hazardous to our health.
A new study published Monday in Pediatrics suggests that some young children of pet owners may get salmonella poisoning just by touching surfaces that come into contact with dry cat and dog food.
Researchers analyzed a national database of foodborne illness cases from 2006 to 2008 and found that some salmonella outbreaks in some children originated from pets fed dry foods in the kitchen.
"It looks as though the children were around the food bowl, handled it, played with it, maybe played with the water in the water bowl and it was that kind of association that led to the transmission of salmonella," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University. "It would appear that the little children didn't eat the pet food, but I would question what parent would admit to that in a questionnaire."
Quick Tips to Stay Safe From Salmonella
On "Good Morning America," ABC News Senior Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser also shared the following tips for keeping yourself and your family safe from salmonella:
Wash your hands after any contact with dry pet food.
Instead of reaching into the pet food bag with your hand or the food bowl, use a scoop that you use only for this purpose.
Keep pet food in a secure container — not just in the bag, where it can spill out on the floor — and away from human food.
While most pet owners feed their pets in the kitchen, consider doing it somewhere else, away from where you eat.
If you have a cat, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning the litter box, because salmonella will live even after it passes through your pet.
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