/PRNewswire/ -- In the movies, kissing a frog can result in a prince. But, as the disclaimer often says, "Do not try this at home."
Frogs, like all amphibians and reptiles, can be a source of Salmonella infections in people. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) are reminding the public that instead of a prince, improper handling of amphibians and reptiles -- and that includes kissing a frog -- can result in a nasty illness.
Frogs passing on Salmonella to people recently made headlines when the CDC reported on Dec. 7 that water frogs were the source of 48 cases of human Salmonella infections in 25 states in 2009.
While the majority of illnesses were reported in children less than 10 years of age, the AVMA and ARAV are encouraging people with pet amphibians and reptiles to think twice before finding new homes for their pets if they have, or are expecting, children in their households. Instead, safe handling and some common-sense precautions can prevent illness.
"Individuals who have pet amphibians and reptiles really just need to be conscientious about the care of these animals," says Dr. Mark Mitchell, associate professor of zoological medicine at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. "Certainly there is a risk associated with keeping them in their house, but it's no different then the risks associated with cooking chicken or eating raw vegetables. We need to understand that there are potential concerns, and we need to follow through by practicing appropriate hygiene.
"Just like any potential risk, we need to be aware of it so we can protect against it becoming a problem."
Dr. Mitchell stresses the importance of hand washing after handling amphibians and reptiles to prevent the spread of Salmonella. In addition, amphibians and reptiles, and anything that comes in contact with these animals, such as housing or cages, should not be cleaned in areas where people prepare their food or clean themselves, such as tabletops, sinks, or bathtubs.
The AVMA has developed a complete list of tips on how amphibian and reptile owners can protect themselves and their families from Salmonella infections. These tips are available on the AVMA's Web site at www.avma.org/public_health/salmonella/amphibians.asp. This Web page also includes links to resources from other organizations, such as the ARAV, U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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Showing posts with label amphibian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amphibian. Show all posts
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Warnell researchers help discover smallest salamander in U.S.
Researchers from the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources weren’t looking for anything new when they went exploring in the northeast part of the state. But they ended up making a big discovery of a tiny animal, finding a new species of salamander that could change what scientists know about some amphibians.
The newly discovered salamander, which is the second-smallest salamander species in the U.S. and one of the smallest in the world at just two inches long, is now under study by a diverse group of researchers from several U.S. colleges. The team is searching for more of the salamanders, which are detailed in a new paper appearing in the Journal of Zoology.
The discovering research team consists of Carlos Camp, professor at Piedmont College; Joe Milanovich, Warnell graduate student; Bill Peterman, University of Missouri graduate student; Trip Lamb, professor at East Carolina University; John Maerz, assistant wildlife professor at Warnell; and David Wake, professor at the University of California Berkeley.
The initial discovery came in spring 2007 near Toccoa, Ga., when Peterman and Milanovich stumbled across it while collecting another species of salamander in Stephens County. They knew they’d found an animal not known in that region but did not yet know it was a new species. Milanovich works with Maerz, a Warnell assistant professor of wildlife, and called him. Maerz advised them to take the salamander to Camp at Piedmont College, who recognized it as a new species. Lamb, a professor at East Carolina University, used genetics to confirm the new species and establish its relationship to other species in the region.
After the students found the first salamander, a female with eggs, in a creek, researchers went back repeatedly looking for others. That is when Maerz’s then 10-year-old son Jack and Milanovich found the first male specimen. The research team has found several individuals at the original site, including larvae, and they have found the new species at two other nearby locations in Georgia. Collaborators also found the species at a nearby site in South Carolina.
This discovery, according to Maerz, could yield exciting new information on the evolution of stream salamanders in this region.
“Whenever you find something new, it has the potential to change what we know about a range of related species,” he said. There are more than 560 species of salamanders worldwide, and approximately 10 percent are found in Georgia.”
But that’s not the only reason Maerz is excited. The new species was found in a well-traveled area in the middle of a creek right next to a road, almost hidden in plain sight.
To make such a find in an area with extensive human activity, Maerz said, proves that “there are still things out there to discover. It makes you wonder, what else is out there?”
With funding from The Environmental Resources Network (TERN), Milanovich and Camp are leading research efforts to describe the ecology of the tiny creatures.
“It is truly a once-in–a-lifetime opportunity to be involved in such a big find, particularly one right in our backyard,” Milanovich said. “The fact that it is such a unique animal makes it all the better and gives us more opportunity to continue to learn about the species. One of the best parts of being involved with this project is the collaboration that has come out of the species description, so I am excited to continue working with the other coauthors as we keep unpeeling the onion of U. brucei.”
The research team’s suggested common name is patch-nosed salamander, based on the lighter coloring on the tiny salamander’s nose. The formal Latin name is Urspelerpes brucei for Richard Bruce, professor emeritus at Western Carolina University and a well-respected, longtime salamander researcher who has connections to many members of the research team.
“Dr. Bruce has done much of the foundational work on stream salamander ecology in the region and on the evolution of miniaturization in salamanders, so naming this species after him is a good fit,” Maerz said.
Camp marveled at the find.
“This animal is so distinct that it belongs in its own genus, a taxonomic level used for grouping closely related species,” he said.“The real significance of this find is that it represents the first new genus of four-footed creature discovered in the United States in 50 years.”
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The newly discovered salamander, which is the second-smallest salamander species in the U.S. and one of the smallest in the world at just two inches long, is now under study by a diverse group of researchers from several U.S. colleges. The team is searching for more of the salamanders, which are detailed in a new paper appearing in the Journal of Zoology.
The discovering research team consists of Carlos Camp, professor at Piedmont College; Joe Milanovich, Warnell graduate student; Bill Peterman, University of Missouri graduate student; Trip Lamb, professor at East Carolina University; John Maerz, assistant wildlife professor at Warnell; and David Wake, professor at the University of California Berkeley.
The initial discovery came in spring 2007 near Toccoa, Ga., when Peterman and Milanovich stumbled across it while collecting another species of salamander in Stephens County. They knew they’d found an animal not known in that region but did not yet know it was a new species. Milanovich works with Maerz, a Warnell assistant professor of wildlife, and called him. Maerz advised them to take the salamander to Camp at Piedmont College, who recognized it as a new species. Lamb, a professor at East Carolina University, used genetics to confirm the new species and establish its relationship to other species in the region.
After the students found the first salamander, a female with eggs, in a creek, researchers went back repeatedly looking for others. That is when Maerz’s then 10-year-old son Jack and Milanovich found the first male specimen. The research team has found several individuals at the original site, including larvae, and they have found the new species at two other nearby locations in Georgia. Collaborators also found the species at a nearby site in South Carolina.
This discovery, according to Maerz, could yield exciting new information on the evolution of stream salamanders in this region.
“Whenever you find something new, it has the potential to change what we know about a range of related species,” he said. There are more than 560 species of salamanders worldwide, and approximately 10 percent are found in Georgia.”
But that’s not the only reason Maerz is excited. The new species was found in a well-traveled area in the middle of a creek right next to a road, almost hidden in plain sight.
To make such a find in an area with extensive human activity, Maerz said, proves that “there are still things out there to discover. It makes you wonder, what else is out there?”
With funding from The Environmental Resources Network (TERN), Milanovich and Camp are leading research efforts to describe the ecology of the tiny creatures.
“It is truly a once-in–a-lifetime opportunity to be involved in such a big find, particularly one right in our backyard,” Milanovich said. “The fact that it is such a unique animal makes it all the better and gives us more opportunity to continue to learn about the species. One of the best parts of being involved with this project is the collaboration that has come out of the species description, so I am excited to continue working with the other coauthors as we keep unpeeling the onion of U. brucei.”
The research team’s suggested common name is patch-nosed salamander, based on the lighter coloring on the tiny salamander’s nose. The formal Latin name is Urspelerpes brucei for Richard Bruce, professor emeritus at Western Carolina University and a well-respected, longtime salamander researcher who has connections to many members of the research team.
“Dr. Bruce has done much of the foundational work on stream salamander ecology in the region and on the evolution of miniaturization in salamanders, so naming this species after him is a good fit,” Maerz said.
Camp marveled at the find.
“This animal is so distinct that it belongs in its own genus, a taxonomic level used for grouping closely related species,” he said.“The real significance of this find is that it represents the first new genus of four-footed creature discovered in the United States in 50 years.”
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