People have been warned not to kiss or hug their turtles after a salmonella outbreak linked to small turtles sickened at least 26 people in 11 states.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is investigating a multi-state salmonella outbreak after nine of at least 26 victims were hospitalized in 11 states.
Salmonellosis is the result of an infection by one of the 2,000 salmonella bacteria and mainly affects the intestinal tract and sometimes the blood, causing diarrhoea, fever, chills, abdominal discomfort and vomiting.
It is most commonly associated with food and food poisoning, but some animals can also carry it.
There is a federal ban on the sale of pet turtles with carapaces less than four inches long because they have led to many diseases, especially in young children, the CDC said.
The CDC said: “Despite the ban, these turtles can sometimes be found illegally online and in stores, flea markets and roadside stalls. Pet turtles of any size can carry Salmonella germs in their droppings, even if they appear healthy and clean.
“These germs can easily spread to their bodies, tank water, and anything in the area where they live and roam. You can get sick if you touch a turtle or anything in its environment and then touch your mouth or food with unwashed hands and swallow Salmonella germs.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is investigating a multi-state salmonella outbreak after nine of at least 26 victims were hospitalized in 11 states (stock photo)
In Tennessee, six people were sick. In New York it was three, and in Pennsylvania it was four. The CDC said the outbreak may include other states not marked on the map because many people recover without medical care and so are not tested for salmonella.
The group of people infected with salmonella is between the age of less than one year and 64 years, with an average age of 14 years.
There have been no fatalities, although the CDC said the current number of infections is likely understated.
Symptoms usually begin between six hours and six days after infection and typically resolve within another four to seven days without the need for specific medical intervention.
Some people have no symptoms. However, illnesses can sometimes be more serious and even lead to hospitalization.
People with other serious illnesses, weakened immune systems, children under 12 months, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to serious side effects — or even death.
Salmonella infects more than 1.3 million people annually, leading to 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths per year.
Foods that can become contaminated with salmonella are almost always of animal origin, such as eggs. Salmonella can also lurk in unbaked or uncooked flour used to make dough or batter.
The bacteria are passed on to other people or animals through the faeces of people or animals.