I had salmonella last year in august. They had learned of the salmonella outbreak in my community as early as may and didn't warn us until august. Well Once they learned that I had it, they instantly tried to blame my snake for it. I was smart, and volunteered to have frosty tested. I knew he'd come back with salmonella because well he's a reptile. They at first acted as if it was instantly his fault and tried very hard to blame me. I was called into the managers office several times during that issue. At one point they were attempting to tell me that if I kept him I would cease to have a job at that facility. I'm a cake decorator and work with food on a daily basis. Well once Frosty's lab work came back, yes he tested positive but not the same strain. Suddenly it became a series of apologies I got over and over. First from my bosses for ignorantly assuming before they got the facts, then from the board of health for releasing my information to my employer before they released it to me. Granted I had signed a release concerning myself and my own tests, but Frosty's tests were signed in as confidential unless written permission was granted from me first. Two or three weeks after the tests came back and I was already back to work, I got a call from someone who lives about 35 minutes away from me and about an hour away from my work telling me hey my doctors nurse told me that there is a rumor going around the medical community that the outbreak was caused by a cake decorator that didn't properly sanitize her hands after handling her snake. I was livid and extremely angry. Again my rights had been violated and I through myself a very large fit. I then told them I wanted a letter stating exactly what strain was found in the knife rack at work and exactly what strain my animal had. I then took that letter straight to my boss who then copied it and shortly after that, I received a letter from corporate that was an offical apology. Granted it wasn't much, but it did show that some people see snakes and just assume. I'm sorry your mom is sick but if it does come down to them accusing you and just assuming it's your snake, tell them in no uncertain terms, you can volunteer to collect a fecal for them to test at their board of health facility and prove either A it is, or B it's not the same strain.

Good luck hon, and I wish your Mom a speedy recovery!

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