WEIGH SALMONELLA RISKS BEFORE BUYING PET IGUANA.

Byline: ANN LANDERS 

Dear Readers: A while back, a reader from Kelso, Wash., wrote to me extolling the virtues of her pet, an iguana. ``Iggy,'' the reader said, ``is paper-trained, has the run of the house, loves bubble baths and macaroni and cheese and sleeps with his own blanket, pillow and heating pad.''

She said she was proud to own and love ``Iggy'' and, if people were afraid to come and visit because of her pet, they should stay home. In spite of Kelso's glowing testimonial, I replied, ``I'd rather have a cat.''

I failed to appreciate the wisdom of my choice until the following letter arrived a few days later. It came from Dr. Barbara A. DeBuono, commissioner of health in Albany, N.Y.

Dr. DeBuono wrote, ``Dear Ann Landers: The iguana is a reptile. All reptiles carry the bacteria salmonella, which is a common cause of diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever and can cause life-threatening infections in children, the aged and those with weakened immune systems.''

I wondered, ``How many people are aware of this?'' I certainly wasn't.

Soon after I received Dr. DeBuono's letter, I was hit with a barrage of mail from readers in virtually every state in the union, accompanied by newspaper clippings. It seems a 3-week-old boy in South Bend, Ind., died of salmonella poisoning last October, but the cause of the child's death was not disclosed by the board of health until recently.

Although health officials are not certain how the boy contracted salmonella, the most likely explanation is an iguana. The boy's parents owned an iguana as a pet, and the deadly infection was contracted soon after the boy was born.

Fulton County health nurse Diane Jones said it could have been as easy as someone handling the iguana and then touching the boy. She added, ``I don't know why pet stores sell these things.''

Health officials say there's been a rise in the number of unusual strains of salmonella corresponding to the increase in the popularity of pet reptiles, especially iguanas. People with immature or weakened immune systems, such as babies, the elderly or those with AIDS, should be aware that the bacteria can cause severe sickness, and if not treated immediately, it could be fatal.

As I said earlier, I'd rather have a cat.

Dear Ann Landers: I have read your column since I was a high school student in Clay Center, Kan. I wrote you some sappy letters when my girlfriend dumped me, but you didn't print any of them. I hope you will print the enclosed. It appeared in the Honolulu Advertiser over 20 years ago, I believe.

No signature, please. I already have had my 15 minutes of fame.

- Anonymous in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Dear Kal: Thanks for the upper. It's always good to start the week with a laugh. Here's the article:

``It was reported that Sens. William B. Spong (Va.) and Hiram Fong (Hawaii) got their heads together to sponsor a bill recommending the mass ringing of church bells to hail the arrival in Hong Kong of the U.S. table tennis team after its tour of Communist China.

``Unfortunately, the motion died, cheating Congress out of passing the Spong-Fong Hong Kong Ping-Pong Ding-Dong Bell bill.''

MEMO: Write to Ann Landers, care of Daily News Features Department, P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, Calif. 91365-4200.