Posted by:
rodmalm
at Fri Dec 5 02:45:30 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by rodmalm ]
Not a chance. Viruses need specific DNA to reproduce themselves. They can not reproduce themselves without this DNA from the host. A humans DNA is so different from a reptiles that for the flu/cold virus to be able to exist in both (considering all the thousands, probably millions of types of viruses) is EXTREMELY unlikely. I don't think you could find any virus that infects both mammals and reptiles, and to ask about one specific virus (or type of virus) that could infect one specific type of snake (balls) and one specific mammal (humans) makes it even that much more unlikely. I'd say it is a lot less than a one trillion to one chance.
I raise birds and there are viruses that infect parrots that can't even infect any other types of birds! A parrot's DNA is too different from say a finch, a raptor, a shore bird, a hummingbird, or any other type of bird for those to become infected from a parrot.
Consider IBD (inclusion body disease) in snakes. While it may eventually be able to mutate and infect some snakes other than boids, that is fairly unlikely. That it could mutate infect mammals is virtually impossible.
(There are a lot of myths out there about viruses, and if by coincidence, your snake happens to get sick at the same time you do, you might be able to start another one!  )
Now, if you were talking about bacteria, fungals, parasites, that would be a different matter. Still rather unlikly, but not as unlikely as virals.
Rodney
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RE: Can ball pythons catch human cold/flu? - rodmalm, Fri Dec 5 02:45:30 2003