Another outbreak of salmonella, this time in pet turtles
Turtles can shed the virus even if they appear healthy.
Last week, it was backyard chickens responsible for a multi-state outbreak of human salmonella infections. This week, it's pet turtles.
Since March 1, at least 37 people – 12 of them children 5 and younger – in 13 states have become infected with a strain of Salmonella Agbeni linked to turtles or the water in their habitat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. So far, 16 people have been hospitalized. There are no reported deaths.
Nine of the victims reported receiving the turtles as a gift or buying the hard-shelled creatures at a flea market or from a street vendor.
In 1975, the Food and Drug Administration banned the sale and distribution of turtles with shells of less than four inches as pets because they were linked to a number of salmonella cases in children, the CDC reported.
Turtles can shed salmonella even if they appear healthy. The CDC recommends that families with young children not keep the animals as pets.
To avoid contracting the virus, hand-washing with soap and water after touching turtles is crucial.
In August, backyard chickens were linked to salmonella outbreaks that sickened 961 people in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Of those, 251 have been hospitalized, and one person has died. Health officials expect the reported number of cases to rise.
