Salmonella outbreak sickens 15 in US — and tiny turtles are to blame, CDC says
Tiny, pet turtles that were purchased online have been linked to a salmonella outbreak spanning multiple states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At least 15 people have been sickened and five were hospitalized due to the bacteria, health officials wrote in an “investigation notice” posted Thursday, July 21.
Cases have been reported in 11 states including Florida, Kansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Washington.
Those who fell ill said they recently bought the turtles, whose shells were less than 4 inches long, from an online store, the CDC said. Three people reported buying the reptiles from a website called myturtlestore.com.
Health officials said the same strain of salmonella that’s making people sick was also found on the turtles sold on myturtlestore.com.
Do turtles have salmonella?
The short answer is, yes. Turtles of any size can spread salmonella germs through their waste, but health experts said it’s best to avoid those with shells shorter than 4 inches.
“A federal law bans the sale of these small turtles as pets because they have caused many salmonella outbreaks,” according the CDC. “But they are sometimes available for sale online and at stores, flea markets, and roadside stands.”
Salmonella germs can easily spread to a turtle’s body, tank water and anything in its environment, officials said. You may inadvertently ingest those germs if you touch your face, mouth or food after handling a turtle, making you sick.
What happens when you get salmonella?
Salmonella is responsible for about “1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths” in the U.S. each year and is typically spread through food, according to the CDC.
Symptoms include:
- diarrhea
- fever
- stomach cramps
- nausea
- vomiting
- headache
Health officials said symptoms usually appear within 6 hours to 6 days of infection and may last a week. Severe infections may require antibiotics or hospitalization, but most people recover without treatment.
This story was originally published July 22, 2022 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Salmonella outbreak sickens 15 in US — and tiny turtles are to blame, CDC says."