The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns people, especially kids, to avoid giving tiny pet turtles a cuddle and kiss following a salmonella outbreak that had affected 15 people. Five of these cases required hospitalization. The good thing is no deaths have been reported.
People affected by the salmonella outbreak are from ages one to 59 coming from 11 states. The number may be higher as many cases remain unreported. According to the CDC, some cases might not have been reported as many recover even without seeking medical attention.
Per the New York Post, the agency warns people to watch out for outbreak symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps that usually last from four to seven days.
The cute pet turtles as the culprit
As per health officials' investigation, eight of the nine people affected had interactions with pet turtles the week before they got sick. Six of the seven people interviewed reported to have been in contact with a pet turtle with a shell less than four inches long. Eighty-six percent reported purchasing tiny turtles from online stores or retailers, and 50 percent of the affected people purchased from a website called myturtlestore.com.
CDC investigation details also revealed that it conducted a DNA fingerprinting on the bacteria, utilizing a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). As per the WGS result, the bacteria from affected people's samples are closely related genetically, indicating that the outbreak is from the same type of animal.
The Tennessee Department of Health also collected two turtle samples from a sick person's home. The owners of the tiny reptile said that they purchased it from myturtlestore.com. The Salmonella on the turtles was closely related to the bacteria from the affected people, the WGS revealed.
Warning from CDC
Salmonella is a bacteria that commonly affects the intestinal tract. Although the bacteria are typically linked to contaminated water or food, birds and reptiles are also known to transmit salmonella to humans.
NBC News reports that salmonella may be found in the droppings of turtles, which can contaminate their tank of water, their bodies, or any surface that the reptile or birds can contact.
CDC warns people not to buy tiny turtles with shells measuring less than four inches long, especially from the online store, myturtlestore.com.
The agency also does not recommend pet turtles to children younger than five years old and adults aged 65 years old and older. They also advise the pet against immunocompromised people or those with a weakened immune system as these groups are more susceptible to the turtles' germs.
The CDC urged people to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching or feeding the turtle and ensure the cleanliness of the area where the turtle lives and roams.
A similar Salmonella outbreak occurred in September 2021, which was also linked to tiny turtles. The outbreak caused one death, 32 hospitalizations, and 87 infections. In 2012, NBC News reported a similar outbreak that infected 66 people.
