Article updated: 2/1/2013 7:45 AM

Hedgehog Alert! Prickly pets can carry salmonella

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A hedgehog sleeps at the SPCA in Largo, Fla. In the last year, 20 people, including one in Illinois, were infected by a rare but dangerous form of salmonella bacteria, and one person died.

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Add those cute little hedgehogs to the list of pets that can make you sick. In the last year, 20 people in eight states including Illinois were infected by a rare but dangerous form of salmonella bacteria. One person died. Investigators say the illnesses were linked to contact with hedgehogs kept as pets. Health officials on Thursday say such cases seem to be increasing.