Some snakes get salmonella at birth

COLOGNE, Germany, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- German scientists say they've found a significant route of salmonella transmission in non egg-laying snakes is from the mother during pregnancy and birth.

One source of human salmonella infection is associated with pet reptiles and such cases are often serious -- sometimes causing septicemia, meningitis or even death.

A high percentage of snakes carry salmonella, but until this study it was not known whether the snakes became infected through eating contaminated food, or by another route.

The research was recently published in the journal Environmental Microbiology.