There was a recent outbreak of Salmonella subspecies IV among attendees of a scout troupe potluck in Minnesota. Human cases of Salmonella are normally caused by subspecies I… this type is typically associated with contact with reptiles.

This led the investigators to the home of the potluck’s gravy-preparer:

She reported having two pet bearded dragons at home. The gravy was never brought to a boil and drippings were added over several days. We visited her home and took environmental swabs. We found multiple swabs positive for Salmonella Labada, a rare serotype, including inside and outside the dragons’ terrarium, a dragon’s stool sample, a cloacal swab from a dragon (a fun activity!), bathroom sink, and kitchen sink.

I don’t really have anything else to say about this, other than it struck me as oddly funny.

Regardless, the moral of the story is don’t let your bearded dragons roam your kitchen countertop while you leisurely prepare mashed potatoes and gravy. Oh, and you should probably wash your hands too.