In the news

Salmonella with a twist

            A couple of times over past several years I have written about the spread of Salmonella bacteria, which cause simple diarrhea in most people but that can be fatal in small children, elderly persons and those with compromised immune systems. A large number of outbreaks as well as random cases have been associated with those little three-inch novelty turtles that kids love to fondle and kiss. Interstate shipment of these critters has been banned for decades but now there are some new players in the game: bearded dragons.

            Exotic pets are nothing new. I remember having a horned toad, for which I traded a neckerchief slide at a national Boy Scout jamboree about 75 years ago. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the poor thing died before I got back home. It was also too ugly to kiss, which might have spared me a bout of abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

            A very high percentage of reptiles and amphibians regularly have various species of Salmonella in their droppings. So do birds, which are evolutionarily related to reptiles. Their aquariums, terrariums, cages and pens are coated with a layer of Salmonella, even if those items appear to be clean.

            Toddlers should be kept away from all these animals. CDC guidelines recommend that anyone touching them (the animals, not the toddlers) should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching anything else. That’s good advice, but better advice is to not have these kinds of pets in the home in the first place.

Lifestyle

To veg or not to veg

            A diet that consists almost entirely of plant foods is overwhelmingly more healthful than one that contains lots of meat, but all vegetarian diets are not the same. That is especially true when young people, who are not inclined to seek the advice of their elders, decide to  “go vegan” , a choice that may leave them with serious deficiencies.

            A purely vegan diet is likely to be deficient in two major nutrients: protein and vitamin B12. It takes careful menu planning to avoid protein deficiency and strict vegans must take a vitamin B12 supplement in order to avoid pernicious anemia and permanent damage to the nervous system. Vitamin B12 is found only in foods of animal origin and swallowing an occasional bug with your salad won’t get the job done.

            A strict vegan diet may lead to fractures, including a more than two-fold increased risk of hip fracture. The problem may be related to a deficiency of certain amino acids, even in the face of a normal total protein intake. It has been noted in a study from Europe that 16.5% of vegan men and 8.1% of vegan women had a diet that was deficient in protein.

            For those who are determined to avoid red meat, several servings a week of fowl, seafood and eggs will provide all the amino acids necessary for maintaining good health. If these sources of protein are not acceptable, be sure to get the advice of a nutritionist.