There's another salmonella outbreak linked to people (typically children) handling baby turtles Sales of baby turtles are banned because of the risk for salmonella, but they are still sold throughout the United States Nearly half of those affected in the new outbreak have required hospitalization TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Tiny turtles are the cause of a outbreak of 51 cases of salmonella in 21 states, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday . In almost half of cases, the illness has been so severe as to require hospitalization, although no deaths have been reported. Babies and young kids are most often the victims after handling baby turtles: 10 of the patients were under the age of 1, while 17 patients were under the age of 5, the CDC noted.
Federal law bans the sale of small turtles as pets , but "despite the ban, some online retailers, pet stores and roadside markets continue to sell small turtles," the agency said. This isn't the first time salmonella outbreaks have been linked to young turtles: In the summer of 2022, a similar outbreak hospitalized at least five people. That outbreak was linked to turtles ordered from an online retailer.
Typically, salmonella infection includes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps that develop sometime between six hours and six days after exposure to the bacteria. The illness usually lasts about four to seven days, though some people will develop severe symptoms requiring hospitalization. Child.