You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Concern is frequently expressed about the risk of humans contracting diseases from reptiles. But what are the chances of contracting a viral disease from reptiles ? 

Thus far there have been no reported cases of transmission of a viral infection from a reptile to humans. However, this does not means that such a situation has never occurred, or that such an occurrence could not happen in the future.

Some viruses which are known to cause disease in humans have been found in reptiles, including the following :

• Herpesvirus - has been detected as a naturally occurring infection in turtles
• Hepatitis-B virus has been transmitted experimentally to water turtles
• Western Equine Encephalitis virus* - detected in wild reptiles
• Bunyaviruses* - detected in wild reptiles
• Togaviruses* - detected in wild reptiles

*Transmission of these viruses to humans would require the presence of an arthropod vector, but reptiles do acquire several forms of ectoparasite eg mites, and wild lizards are known to be bitten by Ixodes ticks - a common vector.

SUMMARY

There are no reported case of transmission of a virus from a reptile to a human, but there could be a very low risk because it is known that reptiles can carry viruses that cause disease in humans.

Feedback request

If anyone has evidence of a transmission of a virus from a reptile to humans PLEASE let us know.

Many thanks

Updated October 2013